INTERESTING  ITEMS 


REGARDING 


NEW   MEXICO: 


ITS 


AGRICULTURAL,  PASTORAL 


AX  I  ) 


MINERAL  RESOURCES, 


• 

PEOPLE,  CLIMATE,  SOIL,  SCEXERY,  Etc, 


By  W,  F,  M,  ARNY,  Acting  Governor  of  New  Mexico. 


S.A.3XTTA.  FE3  3ST.  Iv£. 

MANDKRFIKIJ:>  A;  TUCKER,  Printers. 


<7 


///* 

'  a 


.INTERESTING  ITEMS 


REGARDING 


NEW  MEXICO: 


ITS 


AGRICULTURAL,  PASTORAL 


AND 


MINERAL  RESOURCES, 

PEOPLE,  CLIMATE,  SOIL,  SCENERY,  Etc, 


y  W,  F,  M,  ARNY,  Acting  Governor  of  New  Mexico, 
-/f  -  -^»^  - 


3  1ST.  3S£. 

MANDERFIELD    &    TUCKER,  Printers. 
1873. 


i  -7 


To  THADDEUS  HYATT,  Esq., 

66   Gloucester   Gardens,  Hyde  Park, 
London,  England, 

Our  co-worker  in  the  cause  of  human  freedom  in  Kansas, 
who  in  1856,  1861-62  liberally  contributed  of  his  means 
for  the  freedom,  colonization,  and  development  of  the  vc- 
sources  of  that  Slate,  and  who  on  his  departure  from  Kan- 
said — 

.   "Remember  me  not  as  an  individual, 
But  as  the  incarnation  of  a  principle  ? 
For  man  is  ephemeral, 
But  principles  are  eternal." 

The  following  pages  arc  respectfully  dedicated,  by  his  old- 
friend,  who  remembers  him  as  an  individual  as  well  as  the 
incarnation  of  a.  principle,  and  who  subscribes  himself  an 
ever,  in  the  cause  of  humanity, 

Truly  your  friend, 
W.  F.  M.  ARNY. 


I 


:E 
PHYSICAL,  GEOGRAPHICAL 


AND 


OF 


NEW    MEXICO. 


The  resources  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  especially  that 
portion  which  is  included  within  the  limits  of  New  Mex- 
ico and  Arizona,  being  scarcely  known  or  appreciated,  I 
propose  to  give  a  description  of  it  as  to  its  properties  and 
the  natural  laws  which  must  eventually  give  it  position 
and  character  among  the  divisions  of  the  United  States, 
believing  that  the  vast  extent  of  territory,  and  the  im- 
mense mineral  wealth  which  it  contains,  will  ere  long  jus- 
tify its  more  full  exploration,  and  the  formation  of  a  state 
in  the  Union. 

This  country  is  not  a  Garden  of  Eden.  On  the  con- 
trary, the  superficial  observer  would  place  his  ideas  of 
desolation,  within  [its  limits;  yet,  if  he  examines  closely, 
he  will  find  an  oasis  amid  the  desert,  and  elements  of 
wealth  such  as  it  is  the  fortune  of  few  countries  to  pos- 
sess. 


—6— 


I 


Its  evilss — That  it  is  arid,  rainless ;  presenting  con- 
trasts to  the  American,  come  he  from  what  part  he  mav. 

Its  good — Pastoral  resources,  unlimited  as  space ;  min- 
eral wealth,  as  vast  as  man's  comprehension  can  span  ;  its 
valleys  limited,  but  fertile  ;  its  climate  equals  Italy  ;  it  is 
truly  the  depository  of  wealth,  and  the  country  for  health. 

I  propose  to  give,  as  briefly  as  possible,  the  light  shades 
and  the  dark  shades,  its  advantages  and  disadvantages, 
its  sterile  sands  and  glittering  gems.  I  ask  none  to  adopt 
as  truth  what  I  say  without  close  examination,  and  I  trust 
that  some  may  be  induced  to  judge  and  investigate  by 
personal  inspection,  from  philanthropic  as  well  as  pec- 
uniary motives,  and  be  convinced  as  I  have  been. 

Within  this  portion  of  the  Territories  of  the  United 
States  were  the  cradles  of  that  race  of  whom  the  Monte - 
zumas  were  kings,  and  in  these  mountains  and  valleys  are 
ruins  of  the  Montezumas.  Upon  the  mountains  and  by 
the  streams,  in  some  places,  their  population,  as  the  ruins 
would  indicate,  were  tens  of  thousands,  and  their  tem- 
ples are  yet  standing  where,  not  many  years  ago,  burned 
"the  eternal  fires."  The  Montezumas  were  the  most  civ- 
ilized  of  all  the  Indians,  they  were  evidently  advanced  in 
many  arts  and  sciences ;  had  a  complete  system  of  gov- 
ernment, and  their|  kings  had  absolute  sway  over  an  em- 
pire whose  extent  was  great,  and  much  of  which,  since  it 
has  been  acquired  by  the  United  States,  remains  unex- 
plored, and  whose  population  amounted  to  hundreds  of 
thousands.  They  were  an  industrious  people,  adepts  in 
the  cultivation  of  the  soil,  (by  irrigation,  as  the  remains 
of  their  ditches  show,)  in  mining,  and  in  the  manufacture 
of  woolen  goods,  in  which  latter  industry  some  of  the 
Indians  of  the  country  excel.  They  built  houses  and 
temples  i  they  were  a  great  nation  of  miners ;  the  em- 
pire was  and  remains  a  rich  extent  of  precious  metals ; 


_ 7— 

••and  indications  are  found  of  their  working  of  mines  on  the 
streams  and  in  the  mountains. 

The  Montezumas  came  from  the  North  and  traveled 
southward  until  the  Spaniards  found  the  center  ot  that 
great  empire  in  Mexico.  The  Spaniard  journeyed  north- 
ward conquering  on  the  pathway  of  the  Montezumas,  and 
stopped  in  their  march  where  the  Montezumas  began. 

The  blood  of  the  Montezumas  is  to-day  three-fifths  of 
the  blood  of  Mexico ;  but  the  iron  heel  of  the  Spaniard 
has  obliterated  nearly  all  points  of  their  original  character, 
aave  here  and  there  among  some  Indian  tribes  a  blending 
will  be  found  of  Roman  Catholic  and  Indian  customs. 
However,  there  are  yet  many  who  expect  the  return  of 
Montezuma  as  the  Jews  await  the  advent  of  Christ,  and 
believe,  when  he  comes  to  be  their  king,  they  will  be 
united,  rich,  powerful,  and  will  regain  their  prestige  and 
empire. 

CHARACTER  OF  THE  COUNTRY. 

There  is  a  general  similarity  of  character  throughout 
this  whole  extent  of  country,  a  similarity  of  climate  and 
resources,  its  surface  being  much  broken  and  traversed  by 
chains  of  mountains,  whtfee  general  direction  is  north  and 
south,  while  intervening  are  large  scopes  or  areas  of  table 
lands  divided  by  occasional  large  and  many  small  valleys 
of  great  fertility^  the  valleys  having  a  mean  elevation  of 
about  four  thousand  feet  above  the  sea,  and  the  highest 
.mountains  about  nine  thousand  feet. 

WATER    COURSES. 

This*  country  is  drained  by  the  water  of  the  Rio  Grande, 
Chama,  Navajoe  river,  the  Pecos,  Red  river,  the  Mim- 
bres,  the  San  Juan  river,  and  its  tributaries,  which  emp- 
£y  into  the  Colorado  river,  and  the  Gulf  of  California ; 
a.nd  numbers  -of  smaller  mountain  streams* 


I 


— s— 

KAIL  WAYS. 

The  Sierra  Madre  or  Rocky  Mountains  and  its  spurs-, 
or  branching  chains,  are  in  this  Territory  broken,  and  con- 
tain a  multiplicity  of  feasible  passes,  admitting  at  many 
points  good  wagon  roads  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific 
slopes,  and  over  the  intervening  minor  divides. 

There  are  a  number  of  railroad  enterprises  whose  an- 
nounced or  possible  objects  are  the  construction  of  rail- 
roads to  and  through  New  Mexico.  The  railroads  now 
being  constructed  or  whish  are  projected,  whose  routes 
are  known  to  be  to  and  transversing  the  territory,  are  lst? 
the  Atlantic  and  Pacific;  2nd,  Texas  Pacific;  3rd,  Den- 
ver and  Rio  Grande ;  4th,  New  Mexico  and  Gulf.  A  road 
also  whose  route,  after  leaving  its  present  destination  is 
nbt known,  if  in  fact  it  has  been  determined  upon  by  the 
gentlemen  in  charge  of  the  enterprise,  is  the  "Atchison, 
Topeka  and  Santa  Fe  Railroad,"  now  being  rapidly  push- 
ed up  to  the  Arkansas  valley  to  a  probable  point  of  junc- 
tion with  the  extension  or  branch  of  the  Kansas  Pacific 
in  the  vicinity  of  Fort  Lyon  in  Colorado. 

The  intentions  and  objects  of  the  Kansas  Pacific  Rail- 
way Company  as  to  the  construction  of  any  road  towards 
our  border  after  the  completion  of  the  extension  of  Fort 
Lyons  are  not  known,  except  so  far  as  the  organization 
of  a  corporation  called  the  Arkansas  Valley  and  Cimar- 
ron  Railway  Company  is  concerned. 

This  company  we  understand  proposes  to  connect  with 
the  Atchison,  Topeka  and  Santa  Fe  road,  starting  some- 
where in  the  valley  of  the  Arkansas  river  :  the  line  bears 
in  a  southwesterly  direction  to  the  Cimarron  Pass,  near 
the  head  of  El  Rio  Cimarron  Seco,  which  anglicized,  i» 
Dry  Cimarron  River.  This  section  of  the  route,  while- 
of  comparatively  small  value  for  farming  purposes,  is  nev- 
ertheless not  without  considerable  value,  by  reason  of  it* 


—9— 

great  advantages  as  a  grazing  district.  As  evidence  of 
this,  for  a  number  of  years  past  almost  countless  herds 
have  been  kept  in  this  district,  winter  and  summer,  with 
the  best  of  success. 

Leaving  this  section  of  country  and  continuing  south- 
westward,  the  line  crosses  the  Dry  Cimarron,  in  a  beauti- 
ful valley,  much  of  which  is  already  settled  in  anticipa- 
tion of  the  time  when  the  advent  of  the  locomotive  will 
place  them  in  closer  communication  with  the  outside  world. 
Thence  continuing  the  same  course  it  passes  for  a  few 
miles  through  the  most  magnificent  scenery  that  one  could 
imagine. 

From  Cupulin  mountain  passing  west,  the  line  begins 
to  descend  by  Tenaja  Arroya,  a  small  stream,  to  the  Ca- 
nadian Valley,  and  thence  direct  across  a  beautiful  plain , 
well  watered  by  the  Canadian,  Vermejo,  Ponil  and  Cim- 
arron rivers,  to  the  town  of  Cimarron,  which,  for  the 
present,  is  the  terminus  of  the  located  line.  The  last 
thirty  miles  of  the  line  passes  through  the  property  of 
The  Maxwell  Land  Grant  and  Railway  Company.  More 
than  ten  years  ago  I  was  well  informed  as  to  this  grant, 
and  traveled  frequently  all  over  it,  and  knew  it  then  to  be 
a  good  pastoral  region.  Since  then  the  mineral  and  ag- 
ricultural resources  have  been  to  some  extent  developed. 

The  enterprise  of  the  propiietors  in  aiding  largely  to 
construct  the  road  will  be  rewarded  soon,  by  seeing  their 
lands  converted  fiom  a  pasturing  ground  to  well  tilled  and 
productive  farms.  Although  the  location  surveys  have  as 
yet  made  no  progress  west  of  Cimarron,  a  series  ofrecon- 
noisances  and  instrumental  examinations  were  made  dur- 
ing the  p'ast  summer  by  Mr.  Morley,  the  chief  engineer 
of  the  company,  extending  westward  through  the  Spanish 
range  to  the  Valley  of  the  Rio  Grande.  These  examin- 
ations while  demonstrating  that  no  less  than  three  avail* 


I 


—10— 

able  passes  were  in  existence  within  fifty  miles  of  Cimar- 
ron,  that  one,  the  Taos  pass  was  eminently  practical. 
To  reach  this  pass  a  line  with  comparatively  light  work 
and  easy  grades  is  found  running  directly  from  Cimarron 
tip  the  Valley  and  Canon  of  the  Cimarron  River  to  the 
Moreno  Valley,  thence  keeping  up  the  valley  to  the  sum- 
mit, across  and  down  Taos  creek  to  the  city  of  Taos,  mak- 
ing a  distance  from  Cimarron  to  Taos  of  only  about  fifty 
miles,  and  by  far  the  cheapest  and  best  crossing  of  the 
mountains  between  Albuquerque,  Santa  Fe  and  the  Black 
Hills,  and  at  the  same  time  passing  the  entire  distance 
through  a  country  that  will  afford  an  immense  local  traf- 
fic. Not  only  this,  but  reaching  the  Rio  Grande  Valley-, 
it  at  once  opens  up  the  immense  area  of  agricultural, 
mineral  and  pastoral  country  to  the  westward.  Another 
'route  is  proposed  from  Cimarron,  via  Las  Vegas,  and  en- 
terprising town,  the  county  city  of  San  Miguel  County, 
and  thence  to  the  Rio  Grande  by  way  of  Anton  Chico, 
or  the  Galisteo  creek. 

A  railway  constructed  from  the  Arkansas  river,  con- 
necting with  the  Atchison,  Topeka  and  Santa  Fe  road, 
and  also  with  the  Kansas  Pacific,  and  running  from  the 
Colorado  line  through  Mora  county  and  thence  due  west 
into  Rio  Arriba  county  to  the  Rio  Grande,  and  down  that 
river  to  Santa  Fe  thence  to  Albuquerque  making  a  junc- 
tion with  the  Atlantic  and  Pacific  railroad,  and  then  down 
the  Rio  Grande  parallel  with  the  river  to  El  Paso,  Mex- 
ico, and  connecting  with  the  32d  parallel  road,  in  South- 
ern New  Mexico.  This  is  a  superior  route  to  connect 
Denver,  and  Santa  Fe  with  the  east,  and  to  construct 
railways  to  the  Pacific  and  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  because 
the  mountain  elevations  of  the  country  admit  of  their  be- 
ing built  at  the  least  possible  expense,  because  it  traver- 
ses a  country  exceedingly  rich  in  minerals  which  would, 


-11— 

immediately  upon  their  being  built,  make  them  self-sup- 
porting;  and  principally  because  the  route  presents  no 
solitary  obstacle  throughout  the  mountain  portion  of  the 
country  in  preventing  its  operation  with  the  same  facility 
in  winter  as  in  summer.  The  construction  of  a  road  on 
this  route  would  benefit  the  Government  in  bringing  the 
public  domain  through  which  it  would  pass  into  market, 
in  the  settlement  of  the  Indian  troubles  in  Colorado,  New 
Mexico  and  Arizona,  and  the  opening  of  mineral,  agri- 
cultural and  pastoral  lantfs,  on  which  thousands  of  fami- 
lies could  obtain  happy  homes,  all  of  which  would  save 
and  produce  more  annually  than  the  whole  cost  of  the  road. 

ACEQUIAS,    CANALS — DITCHES. 

Irrigation. — The  Rio  Grande  is  the  Nile  of  America, 
having  a  most  striking  resemblance  to  this  great  African 
river.  It  is  1,800  miles  in  length,  and  of  almost  equal 
volume  from  the  source  to  the  mouth.  It  has  two  branch- 
es and  passes  hundred  of  miles  without  receiving  a  trib- 
utary. It  is  fed  almost  entirely  from  the  Rocky  Mount- 
ains. An  annual  rise  occurs  from  the  melting  of  the  snows 
each  spring.  Like  the  Nile,  it  is  the. sole  reliance  of  the 
farmer.  The  natives  have  made  to  each  town  and  the  ad- 
joining lands  canals  for  irrigation.  These  are  often  twenty 
or  thirty  miles  in  length,  affording  also  ,  considerable  mill 
power.  The  waters  of  the  Rio  Grande,  like  the  Nile,  are 
exceedingly  turbid,  containing  a  large  proportion  of  sedi- 
ment— probably,  at  high  water,  one  fifth  of  the 
bulk  of  the  water.  Each  irrigation  is,  consequently, 
a  coat  of  manure  to  the  soil  ;  and  cultivation  by  this 
process,  instead  of  impoverishing  the  soil,  enriches 
it.  The  natives  never  use  other  manure.  In  El  Paso 
valley  the  Spaniards  found  a  tribe  of  Indians  cultivating 
the  soil  265  years  ago,  and  it  has  been  continually  ever 
since,  yet  the  soil  is  .of  undiminished  fertility. 


—12— 

The  report  of  the  Commissioner  of  the  General  Land 
Office  for  the  year  1868  says  : 

The  lands  in  the  valleys  of  the  rivers  are  very  fertile, 
and  can  be  successfully  cultivated,  though  the  cultivation 
is  carried  on  by  means  of  irrigation.  Although  consider- 
able labor  and  expense  are  at  first  incurred  in  making 
the  canals  and  ditches,  the  crops  are  more  certain  than 
when  entire  dependence  is  placed  upon  the  fall  of  rain  for 
the  amount  of  moisture  required,  and  the  lands,  enriched 
by  the  detritus  made  up  of  decayed  vegetation  and  rich 
mould  from  the  mountains  distributed  by  the  running  wa- 
ter, never  wears  out.  Lands  in  the  vicinity  of  Santa  Fe 
have  been  under  annual  cultivation  for  more  than  two 
hundred  years,  and  still  produce  excellent  crops,  without 
ever  having  been  enriched  or  restored  by  other  means. 

Aid  by  the  Government  in  the  construction  of  canals 
nnd  ditches  would  bring  under  cultivation  hundreds  of 
thousands  of  acres  of  land  which  is  now  unsurveyed  and 
not  cultivated,  which  would  make  happy  homes  for  thou- 
sands who  are  now  living  homeless  and  in  poverty. 

PUBLIC   LANDS. 

Of  the  area  of  the  public  lands  in  New  Mexico   unjur- 


veved,  and  of  course  unofFered  and  undisposedjof,  about 
one-tenth  is  susceptible  of  cultivation,  and  is  •  capable  of 
sustaining  an  extremely  large  pastoral,  agricultural  and 
mining  population,  as  the  actual  amount  of  arable  land  in 
the  valleys  is  very  fertile,  and  where  properly  cultivated, 
will  produce  good  crops.  The  table-lands  and  plains  are 
inexhaustible  in  pasturage,  and  in  the  mountains  are 
treasures  of  vast  stores  of  mineral  wealth,  It  embraces  a 
country  much  of  which  is  scarcely  known,  which  has 
been  but  partially  explored,  and,  as  far  as  metals  are  con- 
cerned, to  the  slightest  degree. 


—13— 

Through  the  courtesy  of  United  States  Surveyor  Gen- 
eral James  K.  Proudfit,  I  have  been  furnished  with  a 
copy  of  his  annnal  report  for  1872,  in  advance  of  its  publi- 
cation, from  which  I  quote  the  following,  viz  : 

The  area  of  121,201  square  miles  in  New  Mexico  em- 
braces in  acres,  77,568,640.00. 

Of  which  military  reserves  surveyed,  189,493.44 

Indian  reserves  surveyed,  1,302,960.00 

Confirmed  private  grants  surveyed,  3,860,582.73 

Mining  claims  surveyed,  51.87 

Townships  subdivided,  3,248,463.00 


8,601,551.13 

Leaving  acres,  unsurveyed,  68,967,088.87 

A  considerable  portion  of  the  lands  of  New  Mexico  are 

held  by  private  parties    and  I  now  proceed  to  mention 

them  under  the  caption  of 

PRIVATE   LAND    CLAIMS    IN   NEW   MEXICO. 

Soon  after  the  Spanish  arms  in  the  sixteenth  century 
penetrated  and  occupied  New  Mexico  as  one  of  the  ultra- 
marine possessions  of  the  crown  of  Spain,  the  governors 
and  captain  general  of  the  province  then  pertaining  to  the 
vice  royalty  of  New  Mexico,  were  authorized  to  make 
concessions  of  land  to  the  settlers.  Afterwards  they  were 
made  to  individuals  for  distinguished  loyalty  to  the  crown 
and  important  services  to  the  state  in  the  Indian  wars  then 
harrassing  the  people  and  impediog  the  development  and 
progress  of  the  country,  and  still  subsequently  these  con- 
cessions were  made  in  numerous  instances  to  the  descend- 
ants of  those  persons  who  had  thus  manifested  their  loy- 
alty and  contributed  their  services.  During  the  Spanish 
regime  in  New  Mexico  as  elsewhere  in  the  Mexican  vice- 
royalty,  it  was  always  the  declared  policy  of  the  sovereign 
"that  the  public  domain  should  be  populated  and 


•—14— 

utilized"  through  the  medium  of  grants  of  land  to  his- 
subjects,  as  individuals  or  as  communities.  Afterwards 
when  the  Mexican  republic  succeeded  to  the  sovereignty 
of  the  soil,  it  was  the  declared  policy  of  that  government 
to  "encourage  agriculture"  by  making  to  its  citizens  and 
communities  liberal  donations  of  the  national  domain  for 
cultivation  and  %stock  raising  and  also  for  mining  purposes. 
It  is  said  by  those  who  ought  to  know,  that  there  are  very 
few,  if  any,  spurious  grants  in  the  Territory — certainly 
very  few  compared  with  the  number  brought  to  light  in 
California.  Some  of  these  grants  of  land  are  now  held 
by  our  citizens,  other  grants  by  large  and  flourishing 
communities,  and  others  have  been  purchased  by  capital- 
ists and  wealthy  companies  with  a  view  to  their  settlement 
and  application  to  agricultural,  stock  growing  and  mining 
uses. 

Now  that  predatory  incursions  of  the  wild  Indians  have 
under  the  policy  of  the  present  national  administration 
become  less  frequent  and  serious,  and  now  that  the  ad- 
vent of  railroads  is  forseen  in  the  near  future,  settlers  are 
beginning  to  search  out  and  locate  homesteads  on  the  pub- 
lic domain  beyond  the  frontier  under  the  government  of 
of  the  United  States,  and  on  private  grants  by  purchase. 
My  space  will  allow  me  to  mention  only  a  few  of  the  prin- 
cipal landed  estates  of  this  Territory,  and  I  will  mention 
only  a  portion  of  those  denominated  Mexican  Grants,  and 
in  doing  so  it  is  but  just  and  proper,  that  I  should  say 
that  lam  indebted  for  much  valuable  information  on  this 
subject  to  the  courtesy  of  David  J.  Miller,  Esq.,  chief 
clerk  and  translator  of  the  U.  S.  Surveyor  General's  of- 
fice, which  was  furnished  from  data  in  that  office,  and  also 
my  thanks  are  due  to  Sam'l  Ellison,  Esq.  clerk  of  the  coun- 
ty court  of  Santa  Fe  county,  for  information  furnished  to 
me  from  his  extensive  knowledge  of  this  special  subject. 


—15— 

Near  the  36th  parallel  is  the  Cieneguilla  Grant  'contain- 
ing an  area  of  about  80,000  acres  of  land;  it  lies  in  the 
county  of  Taos,  and  ia  not  jet  recognized  and  confirmed 
by  Congress;  but  as  it  is  a  community  grant,  and  as  the 
claim  has  been  established  as  valid  and  genuine  by  testi- 
mony before  the  surveyor  general,  and  approved  by  him; 
it  will  no  doubt  be  confirmed  by  Congress,  where  it  is  now 
pending. 

In  Rio  Arriba  county  there  are  numerous  grants,  some 
of  which  have  been  acted  upon  by  the  government,  and 
some  of  which  yet  await  action.  The  principal  are  the.Era- 
cinas  grant  containing  about  25,000  acres,  The  Chama  and 
The  Chamita  grants,  area  unknown  ;  all  upon  the  Chama 
river  and  watered  by  several  smaller  streams.  Upon  that 
river  also  lies  The  Abiquiu,  The  Canon  de  Chama,  and  The 
TierraAmarilla,  all  extensive  and  valuable  bodies  of  land, 
and  each  containing  many  settlers.  There  is  also  the 
large  Sebastian  Martin  Grant,  upon  the  Rio  del  Norte, 
and  various  others  besides  the  Indian  Pueblos. 

In  the  county  of  Santa  Fe,  there  are  also  numerous 
grants  of  which  I  have  space  to  mention  only  the  Bishop 
Lamy  estate,  known  as  Our  Lady  of  Light,  and  held  in- 
trust for  the  Roman  Catholic  Church.  It  is  a  surveyed 
grant  and  contains  about  16,500  acres  of  land. 

The  San  Cristobal  grant  or  Eaton's  Ranch,  upon  Galia- 
teo  creek,  twenty-seven  miles  south  of  Santa  Fe,  contain- 
ing about  28,000  acres  of  agricultural  and  grazing  land, 

The  Gotera  Giant,  owned  by  Nasario  Gonzales,  on  the 
Galisteo  creek,  containing  about  3,000  acres  of  agricul- 
tural and  some  grazing  lands. 

The  Vicente  Duran  de<  Armijo  Grant,  adjoining,  the  In- 
dian Pueblo  of  Nambe,  on  both  sides  of  the  stream  of 
that  name,  and  now  claimed  by  Gaspar  Ortiz. 

In  Santa  Ana  county  there  is  The  Voiles  Grandes  float 


—16— 

owned  by  Don  Tomas  C.  tie  Baca,  containing  about  100,- 
000  acres.  This  tract  bears  abundant  and  superior  timber, 
and  contains  excellent  pasturage  and  is  celebrated  for  the 
excellent  trout  fishing  it  affords,  and  for  its  wild  game. 

The  Canon  de  San  Diego  Grant,  North  east  of  the  In- 
dian village  of  Jemez,  and  embracing  the  well  known 
Jemez  hot  springs  claimed  by  the  Hon.  Francisco  Perea 
and  others,  is  a  valuable  tract  of  land  watered  by  the  Je- 
mez river.  In  Bernalillo  county  is  the  town  of  Albuquer- 
que and  its  ranches,  which  is  located  on  the  Rio  Grande 
and  contains  some  of  the  best  and  most  productive  agri- 
cultural lands  in  New  Mexico. 

There  is  also  the  Bernalillo  property,  a  community  grant 
owned  by  Jose  Leandro  Perea  and  others, — this  is  a  good 
fruit  region.  In  this  county  there  are  also  other  grants 
of  character  and  value. 

Colfax  county,  contains  a  fine  body  of  land — the  three 
towns  of  Elizabeth  City,  Cimarron  City,  and  Rayado, 
are  in  this  county — it  is  a  good  agricultural  county  and  its 
pastoral  resources  are  considerable.  Its  mineral  resources 
have  been  partially  developed,  and  resulted  in  the  build- 
ing of  a  fine  town  in  the  Moreno  Valley.  The  Beaubien 
and  Miranda  grant  owned  by  The  Maxwell  Land  Grant  § 
Railway  Company,  and  The  Rayado  Estate  owned  by  our 
enterprising  citizen,  Hon.  Jesus  G.  Abreu,  are  located  in 
this  county, 

In  Valencia  county,  the  principal  is  the  community 
grant  to  the  people  of  Belen.  The  tract  contains  about 
150,000  acres,  and  has  been  surveyed. 

In  Mora  county,  I  will  mention  the  John  Scolly  or 
Junta  grant,  now  owned  by  William  Kroenig,  Samuel  B. 
Watrous,  Tipton  and  others,  being  a  body  of  excellent 
and  valuable  land,  much  of  it  now  well  improved,  situated 
in  the  vicinity  of  Fort  Union. 


--I7- 

The  Mora  grant,  a  community  grant  northwest  of  the 
La  Junta  estate.  This  tract  contains  a  large  flourishing 
agricultural,  stock  growing  and  commercial  community, 
has  been  surveyed  and  contains  more  than  800,000  acres 
of  land. 

"The  United  States  Land  and  Improvement  company" 
own  The  Baca  Location  No.  4  in  San  Luis,  Valley  Colo- 
rado ;  and  the  Arrnendaris  grants  on  the  Rio  Grande  del 
Norte,  in  Socorro  county,  New  Mexico,  which  have  been 
surveyed ;  and  are  described  by  the  surveyor,  as  follows  : 

ARMENDARIS   GRANT  NO.  33— GENERAL 
DESCRIPTION. 

This  Land  Grant*  owing  to  the  location  of  its  bound- 
ary calls,  is  very  irregular  in  shape,  being  long  and  nar- 
row— its  length  being  some  50  miles  in  a  generally  north 
and  south  direction,  and  its  width  about  an  average  of  12 
miles,  mainly  in  an  east  and  west  direction.  To  give  any 
detailed  description  of  such  an  extent  of  country  would 
occupy  too  much  space  for  insertion  here.  One  longest 
side  is  mainly  bounded  by  the  Rio  Grande  River,  and  the 
opposite  one  lies  in  the  hills  near  the  foot  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  ^ie  Grant  thus  having  the  best  possible  shape 
for  containing  the  greatest  amount  of  river-bottom  land, 
with  sufficient  upland  for  pasture  for  the  settlers.  Its 
general  location  nny  be  said  to  be  down  in  the  immense 
basin,  which  lies  between  two  Ranges  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  through  which  the  Rio  Grande  flows. 

The  climate  on  this  tract  is  one  of  the  finest  in  the 
world,  being  mild  and  equable  all  the  year  round  and 
not  subject  to  storms  or  tempests  of  any  kind,  the  ranges 
of  the  White  San  Andres  and  Oscuro  Mountains  shutting 
it  in  and  protecting  it  from  all  changes  and  winds  from 

*The  are-a  -of  grant  is  C'97.3?5.29S  acre's. 


— la- 
the east  with  its  immense  open  plains,  and  ths  Magdalenav, 
San  Mateo,  and  Mimbres   Mountains    prevent  any  north- 
westers or  sudden  changes  from  reaching  it  in  force  from 
the  West. 

It  is  considered  and  has  been  proven  that  this  portion 
of  New  Mexico  is  the  most  salubrious  and  health-giving 
in  climate  in  America  for  invalids  of  all  classes,  but  es- 
pecially for  those  afflicted  with  consumption  or  other  pul- 
monary complaints,  the  published  ratio  of  death  of  inva- 
lids being  only  3  per  cent  as  against  4J  per  cent  in  Flo- 
rida, the  next  most  favorable  locality,  according  to  the 
statistics  in  this  regard.  The  survey  of  this  Grant  was 
made  in  the  month  of  November,  and  during  the  entire 
time  the  surveyor  was  engaged  in  this  and  the  adjoin-- 
ing  survey  (being  the  whole  of  that  month)  he  did  not 
experience  any  cold  or  otherwise  disagreeable  weather, 
nor  a  single  hour  during  any  day  that  the  sun  did  not 
shine.  The  thermometrical  observations  at  Fort  McRae 
and  Craig,  show  a  monthly  and  yearly  mean  approach- 
ing that  of  the  Madeira  Islands. 

The  most  rich  and  nutritious  grasses  abound  in  every 
direction,  there  not  being  an  aers  ,of  the  Grant,  moun- 
tain or  valley  where  fine  grass  is  not  found,  and  the  sev- 
eral species  of  the  Grama  grass  nre.espeeially  abundant. 
This  grass  is  self-curing  and  furnishes,  winter  and  sum- 
mer, a  perfectly  sure,  reliable  and  simple  food  for  all 
varieties,  and  any  quantity  cf  live  stock.,  Almost  any 
part  of  the  Grant  may  be  said  to  be  a  hay  meadow,  from 
which  at  any  time  when  needed  boundless,  stores  of  hay 
may  be  cut  for  such  animals  aa  have  to  be  confined  at 
home  for  domestic  use.  As  already  referred  to  in  the 
field  notes  the  surveyor  saw,  in  the  Southern  portion 
of  the  grant,  Mexicans  cutting  hay  with  the;sickle  which 
they  hauled  to  Fort  McRae,  a  distance  .of  from  3  to  1* 


—19— 

miles  (as  they  moved  their  camp)  and  delivered  to  the 
United  States  Quartermaster  for  a  contract  price  of  $8  50 
per  ton.  A  better  comment  on  the  facilities  of  this  grant 
for  stock-raising  could  not  be  made. 

The  Rio  Grande  Valley,  which  forms  one  of  the  bound- 
aries of  this  grant  for  almost  its  entire  length,  deserves 
special  notice.  The  River  is  one  of  the  principal  rivers 
of  America,  and  is  of  course  the  largest  and  most  import- 
ant in  the  Territory.  Its  soil  is  a  rich  sandy  loam  of  the 
finest  quality,  producing  all  varieties  of  grains,  vegetables 
and  fruits.  The  vegetables  grown  here  are  of  remark- 
able size,  some  of  the  most  common  varieties  being  beets 
of  all  kinds,  including  those  beets  adapted  to  sugar  making, 
onions  averaging  2  Ibs  each  from  the  Seld,  cabbages,  cf 
which  one  was  seen  at  the  Sutler  store  at  Fort  Craig 
weighing  64  Ibs.  Parsnips,  turnips,  carrots,  Irish  potatoes 
sweet  potatoes,  pumpkins,  squashes,  beans,  pear,  water- 
melons and  nutmeg  melons  of  a  size  and  sweetness  rarely 
excelled  ;  some  of  the  llanclwros  having  raised  them  of 
50  Ibs  weight.  In  fact,  all  kinds  of  vegetables  grown- 
in  the  United  States  are  found  here  of  sizes  analogous 
to  those  of  California.  Apples,  pears,  peaches,  figs  and 
other  fruits,  also  flourish  on  this  tract,  the  apricot  espec- 
ially being  of  an  unusual  size  and  fine  flavor. 

The  most  valuable  feature,  however,  of  this  valley  is 
its'  capacity  and  adaptability  for  raising  the  Spanish  grape 
(some  vineyards  of  which  are  found  on  the  tract)  which 
must  make  the  river  the  Rhine  of  America,  with  some, 
day,  an  immense  wine  producing  community.  The  wine 
as  at  present  made  by  the  natives  is  sweet  and  red  with 
great  body,  and  is  of  the  nature  of  the  sacrifrdial  wine 
used  in  the  churches. 

Cotton  also  can  be  grown  here,  of  a  good  staple,  and 
it  is  not  subject  to  frost. 


—20— 

The  water  power  is,  of  course,  inexhaustible  and  aft 
hand  without  cost.  Mill  sites  are  plenty  where  mills  and 
factories  for  grinding  grain,  manufacturing  fabrics  from 
the  wool  of  the  countless  sheep  which  even  now  roam 
over  the  tract  and  from  the  cotton  which  can  be  raised, 
for  milling  the  gold,  silver,  lead  and  copper  ores  wnich 
abound  in  the  mountains  in  and  adjacent  to  the  grant, 
or  for  any  other  purpose,  can  easily  and  profitably  be 
erected  and  supported. 

The  average  width  of  the  Rio  Grande  bottom  is  from 
1  to  2  miles,  but  if  it  should  at  any  time  become  neces- 
sary to  have  more  land  under  cultivation  than  that  of  the 
bottoms,  the  second  bottoms  or  benches  are  also  compos- 
ed of  first  rate  soil,  and  of  these  about  150,000  acres  can 
easily  and  cheaply  be  put  under  cultivation  by  simply  taking 
out  an  acequia  or  irrigating  ditch  high  enough  up  to  water 
them.  A  project  for  doing  this  at  a  point  higher  up  on 
the  river  is  said  to  be  already  on  foot.  It  is  certainly 
easy,  simple  and  feasible,  and  will,  no  doubt,  soon 
be-  done. 

The  Ojo  del  Muerto  and  site  of  the  U.  S.  Military  post 
of  Fort  Me  Rae  in  the  southern  portion  of  the  grant  is 
also  an  important  point,  being  the  main  pass  from  the 
east  to  the  west,  lying  between  the  Caballo  and  Fray 
Cristobal  Mountains,  and  must  someday  become  one  of 
the  greatest  thoroughfares  in  southern  Ne\v*  Mexico. 

A  fine  gravel  bottom  ford,  with  permanent  banks,  is 
also  found  here  on  the  river,  which  for  10  miles  in  a  di- 
rect line  runs  througji  this  portion  of  the  Grant. 

The  famous  hot  springs  del  Caballo,  or  Ojos  Calientes, 
form  one  of  the  most  remarkable  as  well  os  interesting, 
and  valuable  features  of  the  grant.  They  are  situated 
nb-out  5J  miles  southwest  from  Fort  McRae  near  the  Rio 
Grande.  They  burst  out  from  the  foot  of  a  Mesa,  form 


—21— 

some  large  natural  bathing  pools,  and  discharge  into  the 
the  river  about  J  to  f  of  a  mile  distant.  They  have  a 
temperature  of  about  136°  Fahrenheit,  and  contain  soda, 
lime,  magnesia,  and  many  other  chemical  ingredients  (a 
full  analysis  never  having  been  published)  which  have 
bronght  them  in  great  repute  for  curing  rheumatism  and 
all  serofulous  and  cutaneous  diseases. 

The  south  east  portion  of  the  grant  lying  up  on  the 
Jornada  delMuerto,  is  a  pasture  of  great  extent  and  in- 
exhaustible as  regards  fertility.  It  is  dry  at  present, 
(though  covered  with  fine  grass)  but  water  can  be  easily 
obtained  by  digging,  as  has  been  demonstrated  by  Jack 
Martin  who  has  obtained  a  fine  w<ell  of  excellent  water 
about  9  miles  south  of  the  south  boundary  of  the  grant. 

Near  the  Analla  Spring  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  grant 
is  an  immense  bed  of  gypsum  about  10  miles  in  diameter, 
where  the  natives  and  the  government  have  been  getting 
considerable  supplies  for  many  years.  This  will  be  of 
great  value  when  railroad  communication  is  established. 

Mines  of  lead  and  silver  abound,  also  iron,  aud  from 
the  Mai  Pais  to  the  San  Pascual  Mountain  there  is  a 
considerable  deposit  of  bituminous  coal  of  good  quality, 
which  has  been  opened  and"  worked  for  several  years  near 
its  northern  extremity,  and  the  coal  hauled  to  the  Forts 
for  blacksmithing  and  fuel  purposes. 

Timber  on  the  grant  is  plenty,  both  for  present  and 
future  use.  Live  oak,  cedar  of  two  varieties.  Pine  of 
of  3  or  4  kinds  ;  pinon,  maple,  pecan  and  walnut  with  con- 
siderable hackberry,  mezquit,.  manzanilla  and  tornillo, 
were  found  on  the  lines.  They  were  using  walnut  and 
pecan  for  firewood  at  Fort  McRae  at  the  time  the  survey- 
or passed. 

Mines  of  gold  have  not  yet  been  discovered  on  this 
grant^  but  as  they  have  been  found  in  the  adjacent 


—22— 

and  Jicarilla  Mountains,  it  is  almost  certain  that  a  pros- 
pecting  tour  and  geological  survey  will  discover  them,  as 
well  a3  many  other  valuable  mineral  deposits. 

Building  stone  and  limestone  are  found  in  various  lo- 
calities on  the  grant  within  convenient  distance  of  the 
river. 

A  species  of  the  maguey  plant  grows  in  the  Caballo 
Monntains  in  the  southern  part  of  the  grant,  from  which 
a  sweet  wholesome  and  palatable  food  as  well  as  drink  is 
made  by  the  Mexicans  and  Indians,  and  large  piles  of  the 
refuse  from  such  reduction  were  found  in  several  places. 
The  food  is  called  "Pulque"  and  the  liquor  "Mescal." 

For  crossing  the  Rio  Grande  there  is  a  good  ferry  es- 
tablished at  Fort  Craig,  and  fine  natural  roads  for  com- 
munication to  and  fro  are  open  in  every  direction. 

There  is  one  town  (Parage,)  of  about  800  persons,  on 
the  grant,  and  various  squatters  are  beginning  to  dot  the 
valley  with  their  intruding  ranches,  now  that  safety  from 
the  wild  Indians  is  experienced. 

The  principal  mountains  on  this  grant  are  the  Fray 
Cristobal  and  San  Pascual.  The  Fray  Cristobal  is  a  re- 
markable mountain,  from  the4  fact  of  its  receiving  its  name 
and  really  resembling,  in  a  remarkable  manner,  (when 
seen  from  a  distance,  the  profile  of  a  human  face  (that  of 
a  friar)  and  body,  reposing  on  its  back  with  face  towards 
the  zenith.  It  is  about  thirteen  miles  long  with  a  general 
north  and  south  trend,  and  from  base  to  base  some  eight 
to  ten  miles  wide.  Its  sides  are  eloping  on  the  east  and 
precipitous  on  the  west.  In  it  are  also  found  silver  mines 
which  have  been  worked  years  ago  by  parties  unknown. 

The  San  Pascual  is  of  minor  importance  though  it  is 
said  to  contain  some  good  lead  mines,  as  well  as  valuable 
limestone  and  marble  quarries. 

In  the  San  Andres  Mountains  adjoining  the  east  boun- 


—23— 

ftary  are  stoe  copper  mines,  as  appears  from  data  in  the 
'U.  S.  Surveyor  General's  Office — value  or  state  of  de- 
velopment unknown. 

In  fine  the  productions  of  the  temperate  zone,  border- 
ing on  the  tropic  are  here  intensified  and  increased  by 
protecting  mountains,  while  the  general  climate  is  almost 
perfect,  the  result  of  a  fortunate  combination  of  latitude 
and  altitude  above  the  sea. 

This  grant  is  considered  one  of  the  most  desirable  spots 
in  the  United  States  awaiting  a  population,  where  a  good 
living  can  be  made  with  less  labor  and  better  average 
health  than  elsewhere,  while  the  situation,  tertility  and 
extent  of  the  grant  will  sustain  within  its  boundaries  a 
population  of  half  a  million  inhabitants. 

ARMENDAfelS  GRANT  NO.  34— 'GENERAL  DE- 
SCRIPTION. 

This  Private  Land  Claim*  has  something  of  a  triangu- 
lar form,  and  is  nearly  twice  as  long  from  north  to  south 
as  wide  from  east  to  west  in  its  widest  part  which  is  at  the 
north.  Having  the  Rio  Grande  del  Norte  for  the  entire 
length  of  its  eastern  side  and  forming  its  eastern  bounda- 
ry and  the  ranges  of  the  Magdalena  and  San  Mateo 
Mountains  on  the  entire  western  boundary  with  their  nu- 
merous waters  and  shelters  while  the  extensive  plain  be- 
tween is  covered  winter  and  summer  with  the  finest  natu- 
ral grasses  and  the  bottoms  of  the  Rio  Grande  averaging 
from  one  to  two  miles  in  width  for  the  entire  length  of  the 
grant  with  soil  of  superior  quality  and  productiveness. — 
This  property  or  domain  may  be  said  to  have  been  super- 
latively well  selected  by  the  ancient  Spanish  owners  as  a 
stockraising,  agricultural  and  manufacturing  estate,  since 
it  appears  to  possess  in  a  remarkable  degree  every  requi- 

*00ntains  119,932.98  acres. 


—24— 

site  for  these  branches  of  profitable  home  industry.  I- 
found  that  about  one-thirtieth  part  of  the  land  on  the  riv- 
er is  now  or  has  been  under  cultivation,  producing  all 
grains,  fruits  and  vegetables  in  great  profusion  and  of  ex- 
traordinary size ;  also  a  grape  of  fine  quality  from  which 
a  superior  wine  is  made  of  the  nature  and  flavor  of  Bur- 
gundy. 

The  range  of  the  Canas  Verales  Hills  situated  in  the 
northern  portion  of  the  grant,  possesses  a  considerable 
number  of  good  permanent  springs  of  water  and  running 
streams,  some  of  which  are  the  Canas  Verales,  the  Coyo- 
te, the  Chupadero,  the  Chupadero  Chiquito,  the  Nogales, 
(Walnut  Creek,)  the  Torreon,  the  Cienega,  the  Ranjel, 
and  various  others  mentioned  by  the  guides  as  lying  in  the 
interior  of  the  grant  and  not  seen  by  me. 

Walnut,  cedar,  cottonwood,  pecan,  live  oak,  piiloru 
hackberry,  and  pine  timber  abound  in  these  hills  and  will 
furnish  for  the  future  all  the  timber  and  firewood  needed 
by  the  settlers  over  the  entire  grant,  These  hills  also 
contain  limestone  and  building  stone  in  abundance  ;  and 
coal  also  it  is  said  has  been  found  in  them  but  never  de- 
veloped owing  to  the  fine  coal  fields  over  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  river. 

The  Magdalena  Mountains,  on  the  north   west  •  corner,., 
contain  great  quantities  of  fine  pine  timber  of  large  size. 

Corn,  watermelons  still  green,  walnuts,  pumpkins, 
squashes,,  onions  and  potatoes  were  all  found  at  the  Ca- 
nas Verales  on  a  small  piece  of  land  under  cultivation, 
there.  The  water  of  the  Torreon  is  slightly  warm.  The 
climate  here  at,  this  season  is  perfect,  I  not  having  expe- 
rienced during  the  whole  month  of  my  stay  in  these  parts- 
a  single  cloudy  or  unpleasant  day.  It  is  mild  and  agree- 
able and  two  crops  per  annum  can  be  and  are  raised 
the  same  ground  in  the  bottoms  of.  the  Rio  Grande.. 


-23— 

The  Rio  Grande  river  along  here  is  a  large  stream  lin- 
ed with  fine  bottoms  and  successively  large  groves  of  cot- 
tonwood  timber.  It  is  crossed  by  ferry  at  the  military 
post  though  it  is  fordable  in  places  at  favorable  seasons. 
Its  banks  are  low  and  irrigating  ditches  are  easily  and1 
cheaply  taken  out. 

One  town  of  about  four  hundred  inhabitant  is  on  the 
grant  and  a  few  farms.  Many  irrigating  ditches  hava 
been  taken  out  and  are  still  running.  Two  flouring  mills 
were  seen  and  the  water  power  is  inexhaustable  and  could 
be  cheaply  brought  in. 

The  grass  on  the  grant  is  mostly  of  the  grama  species 
which  is  excellent  and  is  self  curing  for  winter  making  a 
fine  range  for  all  classes  of  stock.  Mexicans  were  seen 
by  me  near  the  line,  cutting  hay  with  the  sickle  which 
they  delivered  at  Fort  Craig  some  nine  or  twelve  miles 
distant  at  $S  50  per  ton. 

In  the  range  of  the  Caiias  Verales  Hills  towards  their 
southern  extremity  are  several  old  shafts  of  silver  and 
lead  mines,  worked  in  former  times-  by  parties  unknown, 
the  ore  from  which  promises  well.  There  is  also  a  silver 
lode  discovered  lately  by  a  party  of  Americans  in.  the 
southwest  part  of  the  grant  but  its  value  is  unknown.  In 
the  valleys  and  canons  coming  down  from  the  mountains, 
gold  washings  have  been  found  but  not  so  far  in  paying, 
quantities  when  near  the  water. 

An  immense  bed  of  gypsum  lies  between  the  Rio 
Grande  and  the  Canas  Verales  Spring  in  the  southern 
portion  of  the  grant  which  out-crops  in  many  places. 

The  proportion  of  good  agricultural  land  to  that  suit-- 
able  for  grazing,  and  timber  seems  to  be  perfect  in  this 
grant  and  it  is  capable  of  sustaining  a  very  large  manu?- 
facturing  and  farming  population. 


—26— 

Lfncoln  County  contains  an  are  of  rich  and  very  pro- 
ductive "land  susceptable  of  kigh  cultivation  and  capable 
of  sustaining  a  large  population. 

In  San  Migul  County  is  the  town  of  Las  Vegaax  with 
its  surrounding  ranches,  a  flourishing  town  on  the  mail 
route  from  the  States,  with  an  enterprising  population; 
die  second  city  in  the  Territory.  In  this  county  is  also 
located  landed  property  owned  by  The  Consolidated  Lend, 
Cattle  Raising  and  Wool  Growing  Company.  They  pos- 
sess two  grants  which  are  described  by  the  Surveyor's  aa 
follows  : 

BACA  LOCATION  NO.  2 

lias  an  area  of  about  50,000  acres.  The  whole  of  this 
tract  of  land  with  the  exception  of  the  northwest  portion 
is  a  beautiful  fertile  plain,  well  adapted  for  grazing  pur- 
poses. That  portion  immediately  on  the  Rio  Colorado 
and  tributaries,  very  rich  and  susceptible  of  cultivation. 
Cottonwood  timber  on  streams  in  abundance. 

(Signed.)  THOMAS  MEANS, 

Deputy  Surveyor. 

GENERAL  DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  PABLO 
MONTOYA  GRANT*— TAKEN  FROM  THE 
FIELD  NOTES. 

GENERAL    FEATURES. 

There  are  no  mountains  unless  the  Trinchera  Range 
•\vhich  only  reaches  an  elevation  of  some  1500  feet  above 
the  surrounding  country  ,  can  be  so  called  on  this  grant, 
but  its  extent  is  agreeably  diversified  by  open  plains  of 
email  extent  and  a  great  number  of  mesas  or  table-lands 
of  moderate  size  and  of  an  almost  uniform  height  of  GOO 
to  800  feet,  of  which  the  Mesa  Rica  (rich  table  land) 
*Thisj*rant  has  an  etrea  of  655,408.07  acres. 


—27— 

partly  lying' within  the  grant  in  the  west  is  the  largest. 
Rocky  canons  which  in  some  cases  fill  the  space  between 
these  mesas,  but  generally  benches  or  high  valleys  of  from 
20  chains  to  3  miles  in  width'  lie  between  them. 

The  northeast  portion  abounds  in  canons,  rincons  and 
other  natural  places  for  sheltering  stock. 

Nutritious  grasses  of  the  grama-and  buffalo  classes  mix - 
with  some  other  varieties  abound  in  all  directions  and  in 
all  the  bottom  lands  of  Red  River  and  Las  Conchas,  the 
"sacaton"  a  grass  growing  6  feet  high  also  abounds. 

NATURAL    PRODUCTIONS. 

The  natural  productions  of  the  prairies  ,  mesas  arid 
valleys  (apart  from  the  natural  grasses  which  are  the 
most  valuable)  are  the  same  as  those  found  in  most  other 
portions  of  the  Territory  not  mountainous,  viz  :  wild  flux, 
wild  oats,  Indian  potatos,  wild  onions,  strawberries,  mes- 
cal, wild  currant,  china  berries,  wild  grapes  of  a  variety 
attaining  a  considerable  size  and  various  other  of 
the  fruit  of  the  cactus  amongst  which  is  especially  noted 
the  "Gucia"  or  "Datula"  or  Indian  banana,  which  is 
found  in  gfreat  abundance  in  some  places. 

LAND. 

There  is  more  or  less  of  irrigable  land  lying  in  the  bot- 
toms of  Red  River,  but  the  greater  portion  of  the  cultiva- 
ble land  of  the  grant  lies  too  high  to  be  watered  from  the 
river,  rendering  it  necessary  to  procure  artesian  water  if 
the  plains  or  high  valleys  are  intended  to  be  made  produc- 
tive for  agriculture.  Where  the  land  has  been  cultivated 
in  the  valleys  the  soil  has  proven  itself  to  be  of  the  most 
superior  quality.  On  the  prairies  it  seem  to  be  2nd  rate. 

MINERALS. 
The  prevailing  rocbis  red  and  white  sandstone  in  near- 


—28— 

ly  horizontal  strata  which  in  alternate  layers  in  the  sides- 
of  the  mesas  and  isolated  hills  presents  from  a  distance  the 
appearance  of  ribbons  ;  hence  it  is  thought  the  Spanish 
name  of  the  "Rincon  de  la  Cinta"  or  " Corner  of  the  Rib- 
bon" a  point  on  the  north  boundary  named  in  the  grant. 

Scoria,  tufa,  or  volcanic  rock,  was  noticed  in  some  loc- 
alities  as  also  limestone  ;n  considerable  quantities.  So  far 
as  observed  the  rocks  present  no  fossil  index  or  evidence  of 
mineral  deposits  except  "yeso"  a  species  of  gypsum  used 
for  whitewash,  of  which  a  good  and  extensive  mine  is 
found  in  the  "Mesa  Huerfana." 

Some  evidence  of  a  deposit  of  iron  was  found  on  the 
northern  boundary  near  the  crossing  of  Red  River. 

TIMBER. 

Red  River  is  scantily  fringed  with  cottonwood  trees,  a 
few  reaching  a  diameter  of  2  to  3  feet  feet  and  large  groves 
of  small  ones  which  are  yearly  destroyed  by  fires  which 
the  tall  grass  in  the  bottoms  furnishes  with  extra  fierce- 

O 

ness  and  vigor.  China  trees  also  abound  in  the  Valley 
of  Red  River.  This  is  a  very  hard  and  serviceable  wood 
though  the  trees  ar£  not  generally  more  than  3  to  8  inches 
in  diameter.  Box  elder  also  grows  to  a  diameter  of  10 
inches  in  the  bottoms. 

Near  Mule  Spring  is  some  excellent  pine  timber  of 
moderate  thickness,  and  one  or  two  good  sites  for  saw 
mills  were  noticed.  Piiion  trees  which  bear  a  very  nutri- 
tious and  oily  nut,  and  cedar  trees  with  unusually  large 
berries  abound  in  every  portion  of  the  grant,  and  to- 
gether with  the  numerous  groves  of  scrubby  oak  bushes 
scattered  through  them,  (producing  a  email  sweet  acorn 
in  considerable  quantities)  furnish  a  fine  food  for  the 
game.  Oak  of  a  diameter  reaching  8  inches  and  hack- 
berry  (called  "Manzanita"  by  natives)  of  12  inches  dia- 


meter  are  sometimes  found  in  small  quantities.  Fire 
wood  is  plenty.  Timber  for  building  purposes  scarce, 
but  the  place  of  the  latter  is  abundantly  supplied  by  the 
natural  quarries  of  hard  sandstone  which  occur  in  every 
direction  and  which  give  a  building  stone  of  admirable 
quality  for  durability  and  ease  of  working. 

WATER. 

The  Red  River  or  Canadian  Fork  of  the  Arkansas  runs 
through  this  grant  from  N.  W.  to  S.  E.  It  is  from 
thirty  to  forty  yards  wide,  a  brisk  permanent  stream  of 
water  which  is  always, muddy,  except  at  extremely  low 
water,  a  good  deal  of  which  discoloring  is  due  in  sum- 
mer to  the  mining  in  the  Moreno  valley  some  300  miles 
above.  The  banks  are  generally  steep  and  difficult  of 
ascent  and  generally  consist  of  rock  on  one  side  with  a 
small  bo.ttom  of  low  land  on  the  other.  This  riyer  fills 
once  or  twice  a  year  but  is  not  subject  to  extensive  or 
damaging  floods.  Within  the  limits  of  the  grant  the 
other  water  courses  such  as  Hecate  del  Oso,  Canon 
Vigil',  Arroyo  Mestefio,  Arroyo  Alamosito,  Arroyo 
Zorra,  Arroyo  de  las  Majoneras,  Arroyo  de  Antonio  Hi- 
lario,  Canada  Atarque,  Right  Fork  of  Arroyo  Los 
Carros,  Arroyo  Los  Trozas,  Arroyo  Trinchera,  and 
Arroyo  de  la  Cinta,  are  generally  dry  with  the  exception, 
of  periodical  freshets,  but  have  parmanent  water  stand- 
ing in  them  in  holes  at  irregular  distances.  To  the 
above  arroyos,  the  Arroyo  Trementina,  Canon  de  la 
Mula  (left  fork)  and  Rio  de  las  Conchas  are  exceptions, 
all  containing  good  running  water  except  the  first,  the 
water  in  which  is  very  highlv  charged  with  alkali  salts, 
but  is  much  relished  by  cattle.  Some  half  a  dozen 
springs  of  good  water  are  known  to  exist  near  the  banks 


—30— 

of  Red  River,  and  as  many  more  near  the  bottoms  of  the 
different  mesas  on  each  side. 

GAME. 

Red  River  and  adjacent  permanent  streams  abound  in 
catfish.  Black  and  white  tailed  deer,  antelope,  bears, 
wolves,  coyotes,  turkeys,  prairie  dogg  and  California  lions, 
with  two  or  three  species  of  lynx  or  wild  cats  are  found  in 
all  parts  of  the  grant.  And  last  winter  and  spring  buf- 
falo were  seen  in  considerable  quantities  and  many  of  them 
killed  by  hunters  and  the  adjacent  settlers  ! 

This  grant  in  its  present  state  cannot  be  excelled  as  a 
stock  raising  country,  and  was  very  appropriately  select- 
ed by  the  company  who  own  it,  for  the  object  they  have 
in  vievyy  as  it  is  well  adapted  to  cattle,  sheep  <&c.,  and 
would  sustain  hnndreds  of  thousands  of  cattle  and  millions 
of  s'\eep,  and  furnish  happy  homes  for  several  thousand 
families. 

Surveyor  General  James  K.  Proudfit,  a  short  time  since 
visited  the  foregoing  described  grant*?,  and  in  his  supple- 
mental report  to  the  Hon.  Commissioner  of  the  General 
Land  Office,  dated  Nov.  26th,  1872,  he  says  : 

"I  have  travelled  to  Fort  Bascom  on  the  Canadian 
river  near  the  Texan  frontier,  a  round  trip  of  about  350 
miles,  and  to  Fort  Craig  down  the  valley  of  the  Rio 
Grande,  another  journey  of  about  the  same  extent.  I 
made  these  trips  mainJy  that  I  might  learn  something  of 
the  characteristics  of  the  district  and  its  people  from- 
personal  observation*  Including  the  route  from  the  Ter- 
ritorial boundary  near  Trinidad,  Colorado,  to  this  city  my 
travels  in  the  district  amount  to  above  1000  miles. 

I  am  satisfied  .that  this  Territory  deserves  'better  and 
more  liberal  treatment  than  it  has  ever  received  ;  it  appears 
to  be  misrepresented,  and  generally  friendless  and  for- 


—  Si- 
lorn,  but  It  has  immense  latent  resources,  I  believe  ii- 
has  more  gold,  silver  and  copper  than  Colorado  or  Ne- 
vada, and  there  are  also  vast  quantities  of  iron,  lead, 
coal  and  other  minerals,  together  with  plenty  of  good 
timber.  It  has  a  most  salubrious,  mild  and  equable 
climate,  and  cannot  be  excelled  for  graziug  purposes. 
All  its  fine  valleys  and  almost  endless  plains  are  feed- 
ing grounds,  covered  the  year  through  with  nutritious 
native  grasses,  and  stock  does  not  require  to  be  housed 
at  any  time,  the  winters  are  so  mild  and  stormless.  Fruit, 
especially  grapes,  together  with  vegetables  and  grain, 
flourishes- in  all  the  valleys  and  wherever  the  land  can- 
be  irrigated." 

INDIANS. 

It  has  often  become  patent  to  every*  person  who  is  at 
all  acquainted  with  this  Territory,  that  the  greatest  re- 
tarding jnfiuenca  to  the  development  of  this  vast  and 
rich  section  of  our  country,  has  arisen  from  the  hostility 
of  the  Indians  who,  heretofore  claimed  the  right  to  roam 
over  a  large  portion  of  it.!  This,  however,  I  am  glad 
to  say  is  being  corrected  by  the  wise  policy  of  the  gov- 
ernment by  which  the  Indians  are  being  placed  on  re- 
servations, where  it  is  proposed  "to  civilize,  christianize, 
and  make,,  them  self-sustaining,"  and  thus  open  for  settle- 
ment and  development  large  tracts  of  very  valuable  public, 
and  other  lands,  which  are  held  by  grants. 

PUEB&Q  INDIANS. 

Within  the  limits  of  New  Mexico  [there  are  19  pueblos 
(towns)  entirely  occupied  by  Indians  who  are  civilized  so 
far  as  to  maintain  themselves.  The  population  of  these 
towns  number,  as  per  census  J,239  families,  and  7,648 
persons,  of  which  number  there  are  2,084  under  eighteen 


—32— 

5*ears  of  age,  Their  grants  or  reserves  contain,  in  all-, 
434,864.15  acres.  In  regard  to  the  time  of  the  settle- 
ment of  these  Indians,  there  is  extant  a  royal  decree  in 
Spain  of  the  Emperor  Charles  V,  dated  at  Cigales,  March 
21,  1551,  containing  the  statement  that,  by  an  order 
ef  the  Emperor,  given  in  1546,  the  prelates  of  New  Spain 
convened  for  the  purpose,  had  resolved  that  the  Indians 
should  be  brought  to  settle,  (reduced  to  pueblos,)  and 
that  they  should  not  live  divided  and  separated  by  mount- 
ains and  hills,  etc.  Phillip  II.  in  consequence  of  the 
i-ntention  of  the  Emperor  Charles,  published  a  statute  on 
the  founding  of  settlements.  Dr.  M.  Steck,  who  took 
great  interest  in  the  Pueblo  Indians  says:  * 'It  was  the 
royal  decree  designed  to  protect  the  Pueblo  Indians,  and 
to  provide  for  the  settlement  of  others  at  that  time  not 
living  in  towns." 

The  question  as  to  whether  the  Pueblo  Indians  were 
found  living  in  towns  or  thus  settled  by  the  early  conquerors 
is  clearly  settled  by  Cabcza  dc  Baca  and  Coronades,  who 
are  the  earliest  authority  upon  the  history  of  this  country. 
They  found  these  Indians  living  in  towns,  many  of  which 
were  described  by  them  as  cities.  At  the  time  of  the 
first  revolution  against  Spanish  rule  bj  these 
Indians,  some  of  their  towns  were  destroyed.  Somo 
of  these  were  rebuilt  upon  new  sites.  These  were  tho 
only  'towns  whose  settlements  were  made  after  the  date 
of  the  conquest.  From  Castanada's  description  in  1540 
they  were  found  living  in  towns,  and  in  prosperous  con- 
dition ;  and  so  far  as  the  decree  in  question  relates  to 
them,  the  object  was  to  protect  their  rights  from  en- 
croachment and  imposition. 

Previous  to  1583  these  Indians  rebelled  against  the 
Spanish  Government,  and  drove  from  the  country  the 
priests  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  and  we  have 


—33— 

'an  account  m  Spanish  of  an  expedition  by  Espejo  in 
-^hat  year,  in  which  a  portion  of  the  country  was  again 
conquered  and  the  Indians  compelled  to  work  in  the 
mines. 

In  1680  the  Pueblo  Indians  rebelled  for  the  second 
time  against  the  Spaniards.  "They  had  been  whipped 
and  scourged  because  they  would  not  'bow  and  worship 
the  unknown  God  of  the  Spaniard,  and,  being  compelled 
to  dig  the  precious  metals  from  the  bowels  of  the  earth 
to  satisfy  the  avarice  of  their  tyrants,  they  thirsted  for 
yengeance.  "They  drove  the  Spaniards  and  priests  from 
their  country,  and  again  established  their  own  govern- 
mant  and  religious  "worship,," 

On  the  5th  of  November,  1631,  Governor  Oterman 
unfurled  his  banner  and  marched  with  an  army  to  conquer 
New  Mexico,  in  which  he  failed. 

In  1692  the  Spaniards  succeeded  in  reconquering  New 
Mexico,  and  again  took  Santa  Fe.  I  have  in  my  office 
three  documents  in  Spanish  which  would  make  over  a 
hundred  pages  of  printed  matter,  dated  1693  and  1694, 
which  gives  a  full  account  of  the  conquest  of  Santa  Fe  by 
the  Spaniards,  and  its  reconquest  by  the  Indians. 

W.  W.  II.  Davis,  A.  M.,  in  his  work  entitled  "The 
Conquest  of  Mexico,  says:  "With  the  fall  of  that  city 
the  pueblos  in  the  vicinity,  twelve  in  number,  made  sub- 
mission, and  were  visited  and  taken  possession  of  in  the 
name  of  the  King  of  Spain.  As  was  the  custom  in  those 
^days  with  Spanish  conquerors  all  over  the  world,  as  &ooa 
•as  the  Pueblos  had  been  brought  to  military  subjection 
they  were  delivered  over  to  the  pious  zeal  of  the  priests 
for  the  purpose  of  being  reduced  to  spiritual  obedience/ 

From  that  period  to  the  present  great  zeal  has  beeu 
manifested  by  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  in  New  Mex- 
ico, to  induce  these  Indians  to  adopt  the  rites  and  cere- 


—34— 

monies  of  that  church,  but  Mr.  John  Ward,  says  :  (See 
his  report  in  the  report  of  the  Commissioner  of  Indian  Af- 
fairs for  1864.) 

"The  Pueblos  are  all  nominally  Roman  Catholics,  and,  as 
far  as  can  be  discerned,  appear  to  be  sincere  and  earnestly 
devoted  to  the  rites  of  that  church.  Each  ,to\Yn  has  its 
church  edifice,  which  is  held  in  high  respect.  The  peo- 
ple esteem  and  obey  their  priests.  They  generally  mar- 
ry,  baptize,  and  bury  according  to  the  rules  of  that 
sect.  The  holy  days  are  generally  attended  to.  Each 
has  its  patron  saint,  whose  name  the  pueblo  bears,  (witL. 
few  exceptions,)  and  whose  aniversary  is  never  neglect- 
ed. On  that  day  a  great  feast  takes  place,  and  after 
the  ceremonies  pertaining  to  the  church  are  over,  which 
occupy  the  first  part  of  the  day,  amusements  of  all  kinds 
are  universally  resorted  to;  such  as  foot-racing,  horse- 
racing,  cock-fighting,  gambling,  dancing,  eating  and 
drinking,  with  theVi  usual  accompaniments.  On  such  oc- 
casions liberality,  is  an  especial  virtue,  and  no  pains 
are  spared  to  make  everybody  welcome.  Some  of  the 
Pueblos  are  noted  for  these  feasts,  and  great  numbers 
from  distant  parts  of  the  country  flock  thitherto  enjoy  the 
amusements  and  share  their  hospitalities."  He  also  says  r. 

"Independent,  of  the  foregoing,  however,  there  is  every 
reason  to  believe  that  the  Pueblos  still  adhere  to  their 
native, belief  and  and  ancient  rifces.  That  most  of  them 
have  faith  in  Montezuma  is  beyond  a  doubt,  but  in 
what  Jight.it  is  difficult  to  say,  as  they  seldom  or  never 
speak  of  him,  and  avoid  conversations  on  the  subject- 
Like  other  people,  they  do  not  like  to  be  questioned 
on  subjects,  which  they  believe  to  concern  no  one 
but  themselves."  It  is  stated  by  some  that  the 
Montezuma  of  the  Pueblo  Indians  is  not  the  Montezuma 
of  the  conquest,  but  an  agent  of  the  Spanish  govern- 


—35— 

raent,  chosen  to-  protect  the  rights  and  interests  of  the 
Pueblos.  Be  this  as  it  may,  one  thing  is  certain  :  that 
this  view  of  the  subject  differs  entirely  from  that  of  the 
Indians.  They  believe  to  this  day  that  Montezuma 
originated  in  New  Mexico,  and  some  go  so  far  as  to  de- 
signate his  birth-place.  In  this  they  differ,  however,  some 
affirming  that  he  was  bom  at  the  old  pueblo  of  Pecos, 
and  others  that  his  birth-place  was  an  old  pueblo  locat- 
ed near  Ojo  Caliente,  the  ruins  of  which  are  still  to  be 
seen.  It  is  supposed  that  Montezuma  was  not  the  ori- 
ginal name  of  this  demigod,  but  one  bestowed  on  him 
after  he  had  proved  the  divinity  of  his  mission.  A  docu- 
ment is  now  extant  purporting  to  be  copied  from  one  of 
the  legends  at  the  capitol  of  Mexico,  in  which  it  is  stated 
that  Montezuma  was  born  in  "Teguayo,"  one  of  the  an- 
cient pueblos  of  New  Mexico,  in  the  yeor  1538. •  This 
account  makes  him  out  more  of  a  prophet  than  anything 
else,  He  foretold  events  that  actually  came  to  pass,  and 
it  is  related  of  him  that  he  performed  many  wonderful 
things."  From  all  I  have  been-  able  to4earn  I  am  fully 
convinced  that  the  Monteruma  who  was  held  in  such  rev- 
erence by  the-  pueblo  Indians  of  New  Mexico  and  Arizo- 
na, was  a  descendant  of  the  Montezumas,  (Kings  of  Mex- 
ico,) and  who  was  looked  upon  both  as  a  king  and  priest, 
subordinate  only  to  "the  Great  Spirit,"  whom  they  believe 
to  be  represented  by  "the  Sun,  the  great  orb  of  day,  and 
the  representative  of  light  and  heat."  Hence  they  kept 
burning  upon  their  altars  in  their  estitfas  (places  of  wor- 
ship) fire,  the  earthly  representative  of  that  light^and  heat 
imparted  by  the  sun,  and  I  have  reason  to  believe  that  to 
this  day  these  edifices  are  used  for  this  purpose. 

During- the  past  few  years,  I  have  visited  most  of  the 
pneblos  (Indian  towns)  now  extant,  and  also  the  ruins  of 
others  which  have  been  abandone-1.  Lieutenant  Thomas 


—36— 

V.  Reams,  Mr.  W.  Pell,  and  my  son  William  E.  Amy 
in  1870,  visited  west  of  the  Rio  Grande,  the  ruins  of  some 
of  these  towns  now  totally  uninhabited,  but  which  indi- 
cate that  in  former  years  they  were  occupied  by  a  large, 
industrious  population,  who,  in  intelligence,  must  have 
been  far  in  advance  of  the  present  Indians  of  that  coun- 
try. The  most  interesting  of  these  abandoned  pueblos 
that  I  have  seen  is  the  "Pecos  Pueblo"  located  twenty- 
live  miles  east  of  Santa  Fe.  The  ruins  indicate  that  in 
former  days  this  pueblo  was  in  the  possession  of  a  numer- 
ous and  powerful  race  of  people. 

Mr,  Davis,  in  his  work,  " Conquest  of  Mexico/'  in 
writing  of  "the  Pecos  Pueblo,"  says  :  "Many  curious 
cases  are  related  of  the  superstitions  customs  of  the 
Pueblos,  among  which  is  the  following  told  of  the 
Pecos  Indians  :  'It  is  said  that  Montezuma  kindled  a 
sacred  fire  in  the  'Estufa'  of  that  pueblo,  and  commanded 
that  it  should  be  kept  burning  uutil  he  came  back  to  del- 
iver them  from  the  Spaniards.  He  was  expected  to  ap- 
pear with  the  rising  sun,  and  every  morning  the  Indians 
ascended  to  the  tops  oi  the  houses  and  strained  their  eyes 
looking  to  the  east  for  the  appearance  of  their  dcliveret 
and  king.  The  task  of  watching  the  sacred  fire  was  as- 
signed to  the  warriors,  who  served  by  turns  for  a  period 
of  two  days  and  two  nights  without  eating  or  drinking, 
and  some  say  that  they  remained  upon  duty  until  death 
or  exhaustion  relieved  them.  The  remains  of  those  who 
died  from  the  effects  of  watching  fire  said  to  have  been 
carried  to  the  den  of  a  great  serpent,  which  appears  to 
have  lived  npon  such  delicacies.  The  tradition  that  the 
sacred  fire  was  kept  burning  until  the  village  was  aban- 
doned, is  generally  believed  by  both  Indians  and  Mexi- 
cans, but  their  deliverer  never  came  and  when  the  fire 
went  out,  from  what  cause  is  cot  known,  the  survivors  of 


—  37— 

the  Pecos  found  new  homea  west  of  the  Rio  Grande.1' 
During  the  period  that  I  was  acting  governor  of  New 
Mexico  in  1863,  I  was  visited  at  Santa  Feon  several  oc- 
casions by  a  venerable  Pueblo  Indian  who,  from  the  data 
he  gave  me,  was  supposed  to  be  about  ninety  years  of  age. 
He  was  a  Pecos  Pueblo  Indian,  at  that  time  living  west 
of  the  Rio  Grande.  He  corroborated  (from  tradition) 
the  statements  made  in  the  extract  from  the  " Conquest 
of  Mexico"  except  that  his  version  was  that  twelve  virgin 
daughters  of  the  head  men  of  the  town  were  selected 
annually,  whose  duty  it  was  to  keep  the  fire  burning — 
that  the  virgins  fell  asleep,  and  the  fire  went  out — that 
these  virgins  were  degraded  by  the  Indians,  and  the  town 
deserted,  believing  as  they  did,  that  the  loss  of  the  fire 
indicated  the  displeasure  of  Montezuma,  so  far  as  that 
pueblo  was  concerned.  He  condescended  to  inform  me 
that  all  the  Pueblos  now  in  secret  perform  rites  and  cere^ 
monies,  looking  still  for  the  return  of  Montezuma.  This- 
is  corroborated  by  the  much  lamented  General  Kit  Car^ 
son,  who  is  the  only  person  I  know  of,  who  has  been- 
permitted  to  enter  their  ESTUFAS,  and  witnessed  on  one 
occassion  their  worship,  which  was  a  dance  in  the  estufa 
around|tfte  "altar  of  fire."  Last  summer  I' visited  some  of 
the  Pueblos  at. the  time  of  their  great  feasts,  but  was  not 
permitted  to  enter  (He  estufa.  The  outside  worship  was 
a  blending  of  the  Roman  Catholic  ceremonies  with  some 
of  their  own  heathen  rites,  the  principal  of  which  was 
"THE  CACAINA,"  a  dance,  at  which  time  they  make  offer- 
ings of  flour,  corn  and  other  articles.  On  the  occasion 
of  their  great  feasts  I  noticed  that  in  the  morning  at  sun- 
rise they  were  on  the  house  tops  with  their  faces  turned 
towards  the  rising  sun. 

JJaeh  village  contains   an    estufa,  partially  built    under 
ground,  and  so  inclosed  that  it  cannot  be  entered 


—38— 

the  consent  of  those  in  charge.  It  is  constructed  of 
"adobes"  (sun-dried  brick,)  and  the  entrance  is  from  the 
roof  to  which  they  ascend  by  a  ladder.  The  towns  are 
built  of  the  same  material,  and  there  is  evidence  in  docu- 
ments on  file  in  the  office  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Territo- 
ry that  some  of  the  buildings  were  erected  nearly  two 
hundred  years  ago.  Many  of  the  houses  are  from  two  to  • 
five  stories  in  height,  and  are  entered  by  ladders  reaching 
to  the  roof,  from  whence  admission  is  effected  by  a  kind 
of  a  trap-tioor  to  the  interior — this  mode  of  entrance -was 
evidently  adopted  for  defence  and  protection  from  hostile 
Indians. 

Each  town  has  a  separate  organized  government  of  its 
own,  but  all  are  nearly  the  same,  as  most  of  them  adhere 
to  ancient  customs  and  laws.  The  officers  consist  of  a 
governor,  lieutenant  governor,  Cacique  war  captain  and 
his  lieutenant,  a  constable,  and  a  superintendent  of 
(asceques)  ditches  for  irrigation.  The  governor,  and  I 
believe,  other  officers,  are  elected  annually.  The  caci- 
que holds  his  office  for  life. 

It  cannot  be  denied  that  these  Indians  are  deserving  of 
the  fostering  care  of  the  Government.  For  more  than 
two  hundred  years  it  is  known  that  they  have  maintained 
themselves  and  sought  to  live  in  peace  with  all  mankind, 
and  that,  owing  to  the  cupidity  and  avarice  of  those  who 
claimed  to  be  more  civilized,  they  are  to-day  in  no  better 
condition  than  they  were  at  the  time  of  the  discovery  and 
conquest  of  Mexico. 

It  has  been  considered  a  difficult  problem  what  is  the 
proper  disposition  to  be  made  of  these  Pueblo  Indians? 
The  proper  question  is,  what  shall  be  done  with  them? 
They  are  in  the  midst  of  and  surrounded  by  our  popula- 
tion, without  any  authority  to  mingle  in  our  political  af- 
fairs. These  people  have  never  received  aid  from  the 


—39— 

Government,  they  have  always  been  self-sustaining,  and 
are  a  living  evidence  that  Indians  can  sustain  themselves, 
m  spite  of  oppression  and  frequent  raids  against  them. 
They,  however,  must  necessarily  have,  and  are  entitled 
to,  the  same  protection  that  i,s  afforded  to  the  most  favor- 
ed. It  is  a,  well  known  fact  that  they  own  portions  of  the 
richest  valley  lands  in  the  Territory,  and  that  unless  they 
are  protected  by  the  Government  from  land  sharks,  they 
will  in  a  few  years  become  dependent — paupers — and  it  is 
inevitable  that  they  must  be  slaves  (dependents)  or 
equals. 

The  voluntary  efforts  they  have  made  for  the  protec- 
tion of  our  frontier  citizens  against  the  savage  Indians, 
their  manifest  willingness  to  sustain  the  Government  of 
the  United  States,  and  their  constantly  expressed  desire 
to  make  available  all  the  means  in  their  power  for  the  im- 
provement of  their  moral  and  political  condition  demand 
that  the  United  States  Government  should  do  something 
for  them  so  as  to  qualify  them  for  citizenship.  This  can 
only  be  done  by  a  system  of  industrial  education,  which 
can  be  established  and  carried  out  at  a  comparatively  small 
expense  to  the  Government,  and  which  would  finally  be 
of  incalculable  benefit  to  our  citizens,  to  the  Indians,  and 
a  great  economy  to  the  Government. 

Were  Congress  to  appropriate  twenty  thousand  dollars 
lor  the  first  year,  and  ten  thousand  dollars  per  annum  for 
four  succeeding  years,  to  be  expended  under  the  direction 
of  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior  in  the  establishment  of 
an  industrial  normal  school,  with  a  woolen  factory,  and  a 
nurseryin  which  to  rear  all  kiuds  of  fruit  trees,  and  place 
in  that  school  all  the  orphan  children  of  the  Pueblos,  and 
some  of  the  orphan  children  of  the  different  savage  tribes, 
there  to  educate  and  qualify  them,  or  the  most  intelligent 
«of  them,  as  teachers,  so  that  they  can  keep  schools  in  the 


—40— 

pueblos  and  on  the  various  reservations  where  the  savage- 
Indians  are  placed,  lam  satisfied  that,  with  an  appropri- 
ation of  sixty  thousand  dollars  to  be  thus  expended  du- 
ring the  next  five  years,  at  the  end  of  that  period  such  an 
institution  would  be  self-sustaining,  and  that,  after  a  few 
years,  twenty  or  thirty  competent  teachers  could  be  sup- 
plied from  the  institution  annually.  In  these  schools  in. 
my  opinion,  no  religious  denominational  opinions  should 
be  taught.  Teach  our  Indians  to  read  and  write,  and  let 
them  learn  their  religion  from  books  and  missionaries  sup- 
ported by  the  church. 

The  Pueblos  are  industrious,  and  produce  all  the  neces- 
saries of  life.  The  lands  they  possess  are  amply  suffi- 
cient for  their  maintenance,  they,  therefore  need  only  as- 
sistance in  the  way  of  education  and  agricultural  aad  me- 
chanical implements  to  aid  them.  They  are  in  every  way 
qualified  to  receive  and  profit  by  the  judicious  expenditure 
of  a  few  thousand  dollars. 

They  can  thus  be  elevated  and  made  an  instrument  to 
civilize  the  savage  Indians  and  add  to  the  material  wealth 
of  the  country,  and  be  ultimately  fitted  to  enjoy  and  har- 
monize with  the  political  and  civil  institutions  of  our  land. 

There  are  probably  nearly  thirty  thousand  wild  Indians 
who  roam  over  a  large  portion  of  the  vast  extent  of  coun- 
try comprising  the  Territories  of  Colorado,  New  Mexico 
and  Arizona.  In  1540  the  Emperor  of  Spain  began  an, 
effort  to  conquer  these  Indians  and  to  settle  them  in  towns 
as  wjere  the  Pueblos.  At  that  period  history  develops 
the  fact  that  there  were  two.  classes  of  Indians — first, 
those  who  lived  in  towns,  and  secondly,  those  who  roam- 
ed over  the  country  without  any  fixed  place  of  abode,  anu 
history  from  that  period  to  the  present  day  shows  that 
Spain,  Mexico  and  the  United  States  have  all  failed  in, 
efforts  to  conquer  by  torce  of  arms  thfis$  Indians  ~ 


—41— 

Three  years  ago   these  Indians    were  no    more  civilized, 
christianized,  and   settled   than  they  were  at  that  period, 
as  described  by  Castanadas.     The    aggressive   policy  has 
been   pursued  from  the  day  of  Don  Juan    (Dilate,   in    the 
year  1595.     It  is  now,  however,  hoped   that  the  wise  In-, 
dian  policy  of  President  Grant,  which  is  placing  them  otVi 
reservations  will  make  them  peaceful  citizens,  and   a  bles- 
ging  to  themselves  and  this  country. 

The  Indians  and  theip  invaders  have  mutually  plunder- 
ed each  other,  and  each,  has  reaped  the  bitter  fruits  of  this- 
barbarous  policy,  a  policy  which,  in  my  opinion  and  ex- 
perience, wilj  ever  render  the  lives  and  property  of  our 
citizens  insecure.  Millions  of  dollars  have  been  expended 
in  fruitless. expeditions  .tp  conquer  them,  while  one-half  of 
which,  if  it  had  been  expended  in  feeding,  clothing,  and. 
establishing  schools  and  treating  the  Indians  with  kindness,, 
and  cultivating  peaca  with  them,  on  the  Christian  plan, 
w,ould  have  accomplished  the  desired  object. 

Colorado,  New  Mexico,  and  Arizona  are  pastoral 
countries  unsurpased  in  the  United  States  for  the  rearing 
of  stock,  with  but  little  expense  and  in  great  abundance; 
the  climate  the  nature  of  the  country,  and  abundance  of 
nutritious  grasses  throughout  th,e  year  fits  this  country, 
peculiarly  for  the  rearing  of  sheep  and  cattle,  with  no 
expense  but  that  of  a  few  herders  to  look  after  them,  as 
they  are  never  fed  or  housed  at  any,  season  of  the  year. 
But  unfortunately  for  the  prosperity  of  the  settlers,  the 
numerous  bands  of  Indians  who  heretofore  roamed  over 
this  country  have  not  until  lately  been  collected  together, 
nor  subjected  to  the  restraints  of  civilized  life,  tjaving 
been  trained  from  generation  to  generation  to  steal  and 
plunder  whenever  necessity  required  them  to  do  so,  it  is 
not  strange  or  wonderful  that  many  outrages  have  been 
Committed  and  much  valuable  property  plundered  from 


—42— 

die  people  annually,  nor  is  it  strange  that  the  people 
should  ask  earnestly  and  often,  "Is  this  never  to  cease, 
and  themnocent  and  helpless  sufferers  be  protected  in 
their  lives,  homes,  and  property?" 

In  1846,. when  General  Kearney  took  possession  of 
New  Mexico,  he  promised  to  the  people  on  the  part  of 
the  United  States  protection  from  the  depredations  of 
these  Indians.  This  promise  was  again  made  by  the 
United  States  Government  in  1848,  by  the  treaty  of 
Guadalupe  Hidalgo.  The  law  of  reason  and  common 
sense  teaches  us  that  when  the  people  surrender  to  the 
'Government  their  allegiance,  and  in  all  things  conform  to 
the'  mandates  of  the  supreme  law,  that  protection  of  life 
and  property  is  obligatory  upon  the  Government  in  the 
fullest  degree,  for  without  it  the  ends  of  Government  are 
not  attained.  It  is  the  duty,  and  interest  of  a  nation  not 
only  to  make  itself  great  and  powerful,  but  also  to  make 
itself  beloved  ;  and  the  rendition  of  speedy  justice  to  the 
•njured  and  oppressed  is  the  strongest  and  most  enduring 
tie  of  affection  between  the  people  and  the  nation. 

The  past  policy  of  the  Governments  of  Spain,  Mexico, 
and  the  United  States  in  regard  to  these  Indians  has  evi- 
dently been  a  wrong  one.  It  has  cost  millions  of  dollars 
in  military  armaments  and  other  war  expenses  ;  millions 
jnore  in  the  loss  of  property  by  the  depredations  of  these 
Indians  and  thousands  of  lives,  and  till  lately  protection 
has  not  been  assured  to  the  settlers  and  miners,  so  that 
1  this  vast  and  rich  country  can  have  its  great  resources  de- 
veloped. 

It  is  not  necessary  for  me  to  dilate  upon  this  subject, 
for  when  the  present  administration  came  into  power  this 
iact  was  recognized  by  it,  and  another  method  of  dealing 
with  the  Indian  question  to  a  great  extent  was  adopted, 
and  no  one  can  doubt  that  the  object  of  the  administration 


—43— 

N  with  all  the  past  history  of  Indian  -affairs  before  it,  in  as* 
suming  the  policy  it  has  done,  intended  to  inaugurate  *t: 
system  of  treating  the  Indians  which  to  it  seemed  best 
calculated  to  promote  the  interests  of  these  savage  people, 
as  well  as  protect  the  rights  of  the  citizens  of  the  country. 
This  policy  is  undoubtedly  the  peace  policy,  and  is  in 
accordance  with  the  noble  words  of  General  Grant  when 
informed  of  his  nomination  to  the  Presidency.  They 
were — "LET  us  HAVE  PEACE."  Not  peace  alone  among 
ourselves  as  citizens  of  the  United  States,  but  peace  eve- 
rywhere within  our  borders,  with  the  red  man  as  well  as 
the  white.  Taking  up  the  matter  as  to  Indians  in  this 
light1,  as  we  understand  the  Indian  policy  of  the  Adminis- 
tration; it  is  that  of  benevolent  humanly,  and  not  deroga- 
tory to  Christianitv  or  the  spirit  of  the  age  in  which  we 
line.  To  perform  its  engagements  with  the  Indians  aa 
far  as  possible,  in  strict  compliance  with  treaty  stipulations 
where  treaties  have  been  made,  to  be  just  towards  the  In- 
dians in  all  respects,  treat  them  with  kindness  and  "feed 
them  rather  than  fight  them,"  and  place  them  in  a  position 
on  reservations  where  they  can  have  schools  and  be  taught 
industrial  pursuits,  and  thus  make  them  self-sustaining, 
and  see  whether  in  the  end  such  a  policy  will  not  be  more 
conducive  to  the  future  good  of  both  the  country  and  the 

'Indians. 

<I  understand  that  it  is  riot  the  intention  of  the  Govern- 
ment to  wrar  upon  all  Indians  because  some  of  them  do 
wrong;  that  it  will  punish  individual  Indians,  bands,  and 
tribes  that  are  hostile,  while  there  will  be  discrimination 
between  the  innocent  and  the  guilty.  But  indiscriminate 
slaughter  of  the  Indians,  we  believe,  is  not  the  programme 
of  the  Administration;  but  to  extend  the  benevolent  hand 
of  Christian  charity,  and  thus  winning  them  closer  and 
closer  to  the  acknowledgment  of  that  great  power  under 


44 

which  they  live,  and  to  which  they  must  be  in  subjection,. 
This  being  the  policy  of  the  government,  it  becomes  nec- 
essary to  obtain  efficient  agents,  men  of  experience,  and, 
:f  possible,  married  men,  who  will  take  their  wives  and 
iiimilies  to  the  agencies  with- them,  and  who  should  be  ap- 
pointed for  life  or  good  behavior,  and,  if  possible,  men 
who  have  had  long  experience  with,  and  who  have  the 
confidence  of  the  Indinns. 

From  a  long-continued  residence  among,  or  in  the  im- 
mediate vicinity  of  the  Indians  of  the  Rocky  mountains, 
and  from  a  personal  observation  of  their  manners,  habits 
and  customs,  acquired  both  in  private  life  and  during  the 
transactions  of  official  business  as  agent  of  the  Federal 
Government,  I  feel  justified  in  urging  the  views  of  the 
Indian  peace  commissioners,  in  -regard  to  the  disposition, 
of  the  Navajoes,  Apaches,  and  Utahs,  of  New  Mexico,  as 
also  the  aid  necessary  for  the  Pueblos ;  the  establishment^ 
of  an  industrial  normal  school,  as  proposed  for  the  quali- 
fication of  teachers  for  all  Indians,  and,  as  recommended, 
by  the  Friends,  the  establishment  of  "a  sufficient  number 
of  industrial  schools  on  each  reservation  to  accomodate  all 
the  children  of  bdth  sexes,  who  are  of  sufficient  age  to 
attend  them,  in  which,  besides  school  .education  some  will 
be  taught  to  be  farmers,  carpenters,  blacksmiths,  millers, 
both  grinding  and  sawing,  <&c.,  and  the  girls  instructed  in 
all  kinds  of  household  duties  ,  to  sewK  use  the  sewing 
machine,  spin,  knit,  weave,  &c.,"  will  do  more  "to  civi- 
lize, christianize,  and  make  self-sustaining"  the  Indians 
than  five  times  the  amount  of  money  expended  in  any 
other  way. 

My  experieace,  which, is  confirmed  by  that  of  my  old 
colaborer  General  Kit  Carson  has  convinced  me  of  a  firm, 
yet  just,  government  of  these  Indians,  which  should  be 
consistent  and  unchangeable  ;  the  Indian  judging  only  by 


-45— 

the  effect  of  that  which  appeals  to  his  senses,  as  brought 
directly  before  his  observation,  regards  with  contempt  a 
Weak  and  indecisive  policy,  as  the  result  of  hesitation  and 
cowardice,  while  a  capricious  one  his  apprehension  and 
distrust.  Hence  if*  it  were  decided  to  compel  the  Indian 
to  submission  by -military  power,  the  force  should  be  ade- 
quate "to  the  accomplishment  of  that  end,  and  would  re- 
quire an  army  and  involve  an  expense  of  millions  of  dol- 
lars to  conquer  the  Indians  of  New  Mexico  and  Arizona. 
Believing,  as  I  do,  that  it  is  cheaper  and  far  more  hu- 
mane "to  feed  than  to  fight  the  Indians,"  I  urge,  as  the 
correct  plan,  to  feed  them  largely,  generously,  and  there 
will  be  no  trouble ;  this  is  better  than  to  have  them  raid- 
ing upon  settlers,  destroying  property,  running  off  stock, 
robbing  mails,  scalping  our  miners,  and  preventing  the 
development  of  the. resources  of  the  country.  We  must 
feed  and  clothe  them  before  we  can  properly  civilize  and 
christianize  them.  And  to  do  this  they  must  be  placed 
upon  reservations,  under  the  control  of  persons  in  wh'o?n 
they  have  confidence,  and  who  have  the  experience  and 
ability  to  direct  their  labor  and  instruction. 

STOCK-RAISING  IN  NEW  MEXICO. 

For  the  profitable  raising  of  horses,  mules,  cattle, 
goats  and  sheep,  and  on  the  most  extensive  scale,  no  por- 
tion of  the  world  can  rival  this  district.  Its  mild  climate 
presents  no  rigors,  while  its  mountain  slopes,  valleys, 
and  plains  are  unlimited  extents  of  pasturage.  The 
grasses  of  the  plains  and  mountain  slopes  are  not  the 
least  of  nature's  wonders.  The  "grama5'  and  "mezquite" 
varieties  have  a  peculiar  tenacity  to  life,  and  survive  a  sue- 
cession  of  dry  seasons,  and,  when  apparently  dead,  a 
few  showers  will  bring  them  out  in  full  freshness  ;  inde'ed, 


—46— 

it  "3-said  they  change  from  a  single  shower.  These  grasses 
are, sweet  and  nutritious,  dry  or  green,  and  cattle  thrive 
upon  them  and  fatten.  They  cure>  in  the  dry  season  in 
the  stalks,  making  a  natural  hay. 

SHEEP. 

About  the, year  1540,  over  three  hundred  and  thirty 
years  ago,  a  small  lot  of  Spanish  Merino  sheep  were  in- 
troduced into  this  country  from  Spain,  and  from  this  im- 
portation the  present  sheep  owned  by  our  Mexican  citizens 
and  the  Pueblo  and  Navajo  Indians,  were  derived.  Ow- 
ing to  the  constant  " breeding  in"  without  much  change 
in  the  stock,  or  attempts  at  improvement,  these  sheep 
have  degenerated  and  decreased  in  size  and  quality  of  wool 
yet  in  various  respects  the  mutton  and  wool  of  New  Mex- 
ico is  better  than  that  of  the  States  ;  this  arises  from  the 
fact  that  the  climate  and  grasses  are  adapted  to  this  class 
of  animals,  and  it  shows  the  advantage  of  this  country 
over  other  portions  of  our  land  for  the  rearing  of  this 
kind  of  stock.  At  the  commencement  of  the  rebellion, 
I  found,  that  in  this,country,  sheep  owners  were  raising 
their  stock:  not  for  the  wool,  but  for  the  meat  which 
was  of  better  flavor  and  more  nutritious  than  the  mutton 
of  the  States.  The  wool  was  allowed  to  go  to  waste 
and  be  dragged  off  the  sheep's  back  while  passing  through 
the  brnsh*  I  was  offered  the  wool  of  whole  flocks  of 
sheep  fort  nothing  if  I  would  shear  them. 

About;  this  same  time  much  complaint  was  made,  in 
regard  to  the  shoddy  clothing  furnished  to  the  brave  de- 
fenders of  our  glorious  Union.  I  felt  we  Jiad  the  means 
to  supply  the  soldiers -with  warm  and  substantial  clothing 
and  good  blankets,  and  in  order  to  call  attention  to  it,  I 
procurred  a  handsome  Navajo  blanket,  made  of  the  native 
wool  of.  this  country,. and  presented  it  to  the  lady  of  the 


—47— 

president's  mansion,  the  wife  of  our  much  lamented  mar- 
tyred President  Lincoln.  I  also  took  to  the  agricultural 
department  in  Washington,  various  samples  of  woo! 
which  are  in  the  cabinet  of  the  department  sewed  on  cardsr 
and  which  show  the  quality  of  the  wool  our  sheep  pro- 
duce, without  any  attention  to  their  improvement,  or  care 
in  their  rearing.  The  result  of  this  display  was  a  de- 
mand for  our  Mexican  wool,  which  proved  to  be  a  better 
quality  of  "combing  wool,"  than  could  be  found  in  the 
States,  and  a  gradual  increase  of  the  price  of  our  wool 
from  nothing  up  fo  twenty  and  thirty  cents  per  pound. — 
This  encouraged  a  number  of  our  sheep  raisers  to  endeav- 
or to  improve  their  stock,  among  whom  was  our  enterpri- 
sing fellow  citizen,  Lucien  B.  Maxwell,  then  of  Cimar- 
ron.  He  had  brought  from  the  States  good  fine  Merino 
bucks,  and  did  all  he  could  to  improve  his  sheep ;  his  at- 
tention at  that  time  was  called  more  to  the  improvement 
of  the  wool  than  the  quality  and  quantity  of  the  meat. 
Afterwards  when  Messrs.  P.  R.  ;Skinner  &  Co.  brought 
between  forty,  and  fifty  Cotswold  bucks  to  our  Territory, 
Maxwell  did  all  h^  could  to  encourage  them  in  :their  enter- 
prise believing  it  to  be, of  benefit  not  only  to  his  stock, 
but  also  that  it  would  result  in  the  improvement  of  all  the 
sheep  of  this  country. 

Two  years  ago  they  commencecLthe  trial  of  an  experi- 
ment in  crossing  the  full  blood   Cotswold  buck  with  the 

O    * 

native  Mexican  ewe.  They  brought  from  Connecticut 
about  fifty  full  blood  Cotswold  bucks,  bred  from  imported 
sheep  by  one  of  the  most  reliable  and  popular  breeders  of 
fine,  pure  blood  sheep  in  the. United  States.  Messrs. 
Skinner  &  Co.  obtained  about  3,000  Mexican  ewes  and 
located  in  the  north  east  portion  of  New  Mexico,  in  Col- 
fax  county,  on  Dry  Cimarron.  The  lambs  were  much 
larger  and  finer  than  their  most  sanguine  expectations, 


—48— 

and  exhibit  to  a  much  greater  degree, 'the  leading  and  de- 
sirable characteristics  of  the  Cotar/old  sheep,  than  was 
expected  ;  gome  of  fhe  lambs  weighed  at  six  hours  old 
from  twelve  to  fifteen  pounds  each,  ancr*at  seven  days  old 
from  twenty  to  twenty-five  pounds  each  ;  at  two  months 
old  many  of  them  are  larger  and  heavier  than  their  moth- 
ers, and  promise  so  far  as  can  now  be  judged  an  average 
fleece  of  five  pounds  of  wool  but  little  inferior  in  quality 
'to  the  pure  Cotswolds.  The  pure  blooded  bucks  average 
eleven  pounds  of  wool  per  fleece,  and  the  Mexican  ewes 
from  one  and  a  half  to  two  pounds.  The  introduction  of 
Cotswold  and  other  varieties  of  long  or  combing  wool 
eheep  in  the  United  States  took  place  not  very  many 
year8  ago,  and  its  progress  has  been  comparatively  slow 
consequently  very  few  wool  growers  have  learned  as  yet 
their  superiority  for  wool  and  mutton.  In  the  New  Eng- 
land states,  in  New  York.  Pennsylvania  and  Ohio,  it  has 
repeatedly  been  demonstrated  that  the  Cotswold  with  an 
average  fleece  of  "ten  or  eleven  pounds  crossed  with  the 
native  or  common  ewes,  with  an  average  fleece  of  four 
pounds,  produces  a  sheep  whose  fleece  will  average  nine 
pounds',  in  quality  very  little  inferior  to  the  Cotswold. 

Early  in  the  seventeenth  century  the  long-legged  Afri- 
can or  Guinea  sheep  were  introduced  into  Europe  by  the 
Dutch,  and  distributed  among  the  Islands  near  the  Tex- 
el  and  in  Gronigen  and  Friesland  where  they  were  crossed 
with  the  common  sheep  of  the  country  producing  the 
animal  known  there  at  the  present  time  as  the  "Texel" 
or  "Mouton  Flandrin"  breed  of  sheep.  At  the  period 
of  the  introduction  of  this  breed  of  sheep  in  Europe 
some  highly  exagerated  accounts  of  them  were  given 
says  Youatt,  by  the  writers  of  the  time. 

Corneille  states  that  "they  produced  lambs  twice  in 
the  year;  (this  is  not  improbable,  as  tire  sheep  belong- 


— 49— 

ing  to  the  Navajo  Indians  of  New  Mexico  do,)  ami 
usually  three  lambs  at  a  time,  sometimes  four  and  five 
nml  occasionally  seven  at  one  yeaning."  This,  continues 
Youatt,  is  quite  incredible,  arid  Corneille  himself  ac- 
knowledges that  it  was  " only  on  their  first  arrival  from 
the  east  that  they  were  thus  prolific,  but  they  were, 
and  still  are  justly  valued  for  their  size,  beauty  of  form 
and  abundant  produce  of  long  and  fine  wool,  milk  and 
lambs. 

The  Texel  sheep  have  not  been  extensively  introduced 
into  the  United  States.     American  sheep  breeders  gen- 
erally preferring  to  import  the  well-known  and  well-tried 
British  breeds  of  mutton    sheep  ;    it    has  however  been 
stated  that  the  late  Col.  Jacques  of  the  ten  hills  farm  of 
Somerville,    Massachusetts,    imported    sheep    from    the 
Netherlands  in  1823,  and  the  Massachussetts  Agricult- 
ural Repository  and    Journal,    records    the  importation 
of  some  sheep  from  the  same  source,  by  the  late  Col. 
Thomas  H.    Perkins,    of   Brooklyn,    Massachusetts,  in 
1824.     They  were  called  the  long  wooled  sheep  of  the 
Netherlands.     It    is    not    known    whether    these    sheep- 
were  of  the  true  Texel  breed,     nor  is  it  probable  that 
pure  blooded  animals   descended    from  that  importation 
are  now  in  existence. 

An  importation  of  a  small  flock  of  Texel  sheep  was 
made  by  Winthrop  W.  Chinery,  Esq.-,  of  Belmont  Mass, 
in  the  spring  of  1863.  They  were  procured  in  Fries- 
land  near  the  Texel,  and  shipped  at  Rotterdam,  Holland, 
for  the  port  of  Boston,  Mass.  The  importation  consisted 
of  one  buck  and  seven  ewes  when  put  on  board  the  ship, 
but  on  their  arrival  at  Boston,  after  a  ve'yage  of  eighty- 
one  days,  the  flock  was  found  to  have  increased  to  "seven- 
teen animate,  nine  lambs  having  been  produced  'o'n  'fhe 
passage  affording  strong  corroborrative  evidence  ef  the 


—So- 
good  qualities  of  the  ewes  as  nurses  and  also  of  the 
hardiness,  of  the  breed.  The  live  weight  of  the  buck  of 
this  importation  in  good  condition  was  over  two  hundred 
pounds  and  the  ewes  varied  in  weight  from  one  hundred 
and  forty-five  to  one  hundred  and  seventy-five  pounds 
each.  Their  fleeces  averaged  over  ten  pounds  each  and, 
their  wool  is  considered  by  manufacturers  superior  either 
to  the  Cots  wold  or  Leicester. 

COTSWOLD    SHEEP. 

In  the  report  of  the  United  States  Commissioner  of 
Agriculture  page  340,  I  find  the  following,  which  I 
believe  of  sufficient  importance  to  our  sheep  raisers  to- 
transcribe  here  : 

"The  maple  shade  flock  of  Cotswold  sheep  imported 
and  owned  by  Mr.  John  D.  Wing  of  New  York'con- 

sists  of  selected  animals  of  the  best  flocks   of  thorough 

& 

bred  sheep,  many  of  them,  being  secured  by  Mr.  Wing' 
personally  while  in  England,  they  are  strictly  pure  with- 
out a  crost?,  and  every  shsep  has  a  reiiahle  pedigree. 
JSlost  of  them  were  bred  by  William  Lane  of  Broadfield 
his  name  standing  at^the  head  of  the  breeders  in  the  Cots- 
wold  hills.  *  *  *  * 

These  sheep  are  known  for  their  heavy  and  valuable 
fteece,  their  mutton,  proportions  and  strong  constitution. 
The  wool  is  very  long,  with  bright  lustre,  known  as  comb- 
ing wool  in  our  markets,  being  the  most  desirable  and 
highest  priced  of  any.  It,  averages  over  twelve  inches  in 
length,  sometimes  as  long  as  eighteen  inches,  and  the 
fleeces  weigh  from  ten  to  fifteen  pounds  each,  some  bucks" 
fleeces  as  high  as  sixteen  or  eighteen  pounds.  Mr.  Wini; 
says  his  flock  averages  twelve  pounds.  They  are  highly 
valued  for  mutton ,  when  fattened  they  grow  to  a  very 
large  weight,,  in,  some  cases,  attaining  three  hundred  and 


fifty  pounds.  They  are  very  hardy  and  capable  of  enduring 
much  exposure.  The  sheep  from  this  flock  have  carried 
off  the  highest  honors,  and  the  prize  ram  < 'golden  fleece" 
was  shown  at  Auburn  fair  of  the  New  York  state  sheep 
breeder  and  wool  growers  association  in  May,  1867,  when 
he  took  the  first  prize  in  the  class  and  also  the  sweep-stake 
prize,  he  sheared  on  this  occasion,  nineteen  pounds  four 
and  a  half  ounces  of  wooh  H'e  was  purchased  in  Eng- 
land for  230  guineas,  (over  1200  dollars),  and  claimed 
to  be  the  highest  priced  Cotswold  sheep  ever-sold.  Profes- 
sor J.  11.  Dodge,  of  the  agricultural  department,  Wash- 
ington City,  very  aptly  says  :  "Profit  is  the  golden  beacon 
which  guides  th  farmer's  course.  Like  other  men  he  is 
propelled  by  the  pecuniary  motive  with  the  power  of  the 
locomotive,  and  to  direct  him  in  a  certain  course,  it  is  only 
necessary  to  show  that  it  will  prove  remunerative."  I 
propose  to  quote  some  of  his  facts  to  show  how  remu- 
nerative the  growing  of  combing  wool  and  rearing  of  Cots- 
wold  sheep  is, 

LONG   WOOL   ETC. 

Professor  J.  R.  Dodges  in  the  U.  S.  Agricultural  re- 
port for  1866,  says,  those  who  decry  long  wool,  should 
remember  that  long  wool  has  been  quite  as  rife  and  rapid 
during  the  past  generation  in  those  breeds,  as  in  the  pam- 
pered Merino.  If  a  comparison  be  made,  let  it  be  be  _ 
tween  immense  numbers,  and  not  between  isolated  indi- 
viduals. The  sheep  of  this  country  mainly  of  Merino 
blood  average  fleeces  of  five  and  a  half  pounds  ;  those  of 
(j'reat  Britain  mostly  long  and  middle  wools  average  fro-m 
four  to  five  pounds,  according  to  Wilson,  while  others 
nrake  n.  higher  estimate.  After  allowing  for  extra  weight 
of  the  latter,  it  will  readily  be  seen  that  the  boasted  su- 
periority of  the  Merino  in  proportion  of  wool  to  the  live 


—52— 

weight  of  the  animal,  is  more  mythical  than  real.  "Whole 
flocks  of  improved  Cotswold  sheep  yield  eight  pounds  each, 
and  the  tendency  of  recent  English  improvements  is  still 
to  heavier  weights.  Large  fleeces  of  all  breeds  are  oc- 
casionally noted  in  this  country  as  well  as  England,  a  few 
cases  will  suffice  as  evidence.  At  Auburn,  New  York, 
fair  May,  10th,  1867,  the  Cotswold  ram,  "golden  fleece," 
two  years  old  owned  by  Mr.  John  D.  Wing  sheared  nine- 
teen pounds  four  and  a  half  ounces,  383.  days  from  the 
previous  shearing.  The  growth  of  twelve  months  would 
therefore  be  eighteen  .pounds  and  five  and  a  half  ounces. 
The  length  of  the  wool  was  nine  and  a  quarter  inches. 
A  rarn  of  the  same  flock  sheared  eighteen  pounds  and 
nine  ounces,  fourteen  inches  in  length.  Other  specimens 
forwarded  to  Dr.  Randall  to  be  used  by  the  committee  au- 
thorized by  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  for  the  selec- 
tion of  tariff  samples,  represent  fleeces  scarcely  less  in 
weight.  One  fleece  of  a  ram  teg  thirteen  months  old. 
bred  by  L.  Converse,  Bucyrus,  Ohio,  length  ten  and 
three  quarter  inches,  weighed  ten  and  a  half  pounds.  A 
fleece  of  a  Lincoln  ram  two  \ears  old,  owned  by  Hon. 
Samuel  Campbell  and  R.  Gibbon,  New  York,  Mills, 
Oneida  county,  New  York,  weighed  seventeen  and  three 
quarter  pounds,  another  washed  fleece  from  the  same  flock 
fifteen  and  three  quarter  pounds,  last  year  eighteen 
pounds.  The  wool  of  these  fleeces  was  ten  and  a  half 
inches  in  length,  of  the  kind  known  as  luster  wool,  in 
great  demand  for  ladies'  fabrics  and  'bringing  high  prices. 
Beautiful  samples  of  this  wool,  (says  Professor  Dodge,) 
very  lustrous  a-nd  fine,  and  about  eleven  -inches  long,  are 
now  before  me  as  I  write  with  a  'note  from  the  owners 
.eisuisakg  -eleven  pounds  five  ounce  as  the  average  weight 
of  tSaek  £eeeee,  and  fifteen  and  three-fourths  pounds,  and 
seventeen  a»d  tk/eenfoiirths  pounds  respectively  for  fleeces 


—53— 

of  their  rams  ;  one  ram  weighs  three  hundred  pounds — •• 
ewes  ID  good  order  weigh  two  hundred  poends.  All  have 
done  well  since  their  importation. 

It  is  stated  that  60  years  ago,  an  English  maiden  (a 
"spinster")  spun  168,000  yards,  or  95  miles  of  thread 
from  a  pound  of  wool  from  a  Lincoln  ewe.  A  Bradford 
(England)  manufacturer  states  that  a  twenty  pound  Lin- 
coln fleece  used  in  an  admixture  with  cotton  in  the  finest 
" Alpaca5'  fabrics  is  sufficient  for  twelve  pieces  of  42  yards 
each  and  possibly  16  pieces  of  672  yards  in  length,  one 
yard  wide,  worth  at  75  cents  per  yard,  more  than  $500. 

The  same  writer,  says  :  "I  have  noticed  a  record  of 
of  the  weight  of  five  Cotswold  wethers  fed  for  the  New 
York  market,  as  follows  :  217,  222,  204,  223  243.  Five 
other  wethers  twenty-one  months  old  averaged  188  pounds 
these  weights  are  not  extraordinary  but  are  easily  attained 
at  an  early  age." 

A  writer  from  Carrol  county,  Kentucky,  says  :  "The 
sheep  most  profitable  in  our  county  are  the  Cotswolds  and 
their  grades.  They  will  consume  probably  one-fourth 
more  food  than  the  fine  wool  sheep,. but  are  hardy,  need- 
ing no  shelter,  d,nd  generally  live  the  entire  winter  on  our 
blue  grass  pastures  without  other  food,  producing  from  6 
to  10  pounds  of  wool  per  sheep,  and  from  60  to  100 
pounds  of  good  mutton  at  one  or  two  years  old.  I  have 
(he  says)  about  50  in  my  flock,  of  the  Cotswolds  and 
grades  which  I  have  taken  as  sample  for  the  above  state- 
ment. They  have  not  eaten  a  single  pound  of  hay  or  any- 
thing but  what  they  have  gathered  for  themselves  in  the 
pasture,  winter  or  summer,  for  the  last  two  years.  The 
wool  is  worth  just  as  it  comes  from  the  sheep  unwashed, 
35  cents  per  pound ;  the  mutton  is-  worth  tea  cents  a 
pound." 


—04— 

The  experiments  already  made  by  Messrs.  Skinner  & 
Co.  with  their  Cotswold  sheep  on  Dry  Cimarron  show  that 
the  same  results  will  obtain  in  New  Mexico,  and  should 
encourage  our  sheep  owners  to  procure  good  sheep  to  im- 
prove their  stock  and  increase  their  wealth,  and  -thereby 
benefit  themselves  as-well  as  izicrease  the  wealth  of  our 
Territory. 

Another  reason  for  increased  attention  to  long  wools 
(combing  wools)  is  the  fact  that  new  fabrics  are  introduced 
in  great- variety,  especially  for  the  various  garments  of 
ladies  requiring  soft  or  lustrous  wools  and  are  becoming 
daily  more  popular  and  more  widely  disseminated.  This 
state  of  things  has  caused  a  scarcity  of  long  wools,  and 
gives  them  an  advantage  in  price  over  the  most  popular  of 
merino  wools  of  this  country  of  fifteen  or  twenty  percent. 
In  England  this  change  of  place  of  long  and  short  wools 
by  which  'the  long  wool  -has  exceeded  the  short  woel  in 
value  as  much  as  that  formerly  led  all  others  is  thus  re- 
ferred to  : 

* 'There  is  a  strong  pecuniary  inducement  to  use  these 
wools,  notwithstanding  their  price.  They  contain  little 
oil  or  yolk ;  in  scouring  the  loss  is  rarely  twenty-five  per 
cent,  and  often,  less  than  twenty  ;  the  loss  in  the  merino 
is  forty  per  cent  and  upwards,  according  as  it  is  improved, 
the  fleeces  of  prize  bucks  often  reaching  seventy 
per  cent,  of  waste.  Excluding  these  and  taking  the 
most  desirable  Ohio  grades,  a  comparison  will  ghow  the 
juperior  economy  of  long  wool  to  the  manufacturer,  pays 
seventy  cents  per  pound  at  present  prices  ,  and  loses  fifty 
per  cent,  in  scouring,  making  the  clean  wool  one  dollar 
and  fifty  cents.  He  buys  Canada  wool  at  eighty  cents, 
and  losses  twenty  per  cent,  leaving  the  cost  of  cleaned 
wool  just  one  dollar  per  pound.  Is  it  a  wonder  thatmanu* 
facturers  will  use  all  the  long  wool  they  can  when  it  can 


make  forty  per  cent  more  cloth  for  the  same  money?" 
By  Canada  wools  "the  manufacturer  simply  means  Cots- 
"wolds,  Leicester,  Southdown,  and  their  grades,  most  of 
which  came  from  Canada,  where  few  other  sheep  are 
.kept.  It  has  also  been  remarked  that  "there  is  a  want 
which  might  be  met  by  enlarged  operations  in  rearing 
long  wool  flocks.  The  eastern  markets  with  few  excep- 
tions are  miserably  supplied  with  large  fat  larnbs.  Nor 
can  it  be  otherwise  with  our  present  flocks.  .Merino 
lambs  will  never  satisfy  the  demand  of  enlightened  eaters, 
six  pounds  is  to  the  quarter  of  lean  blue  meat,  at  twelve 
weeks  old,  will  never  afford  satisfaction  to  mutton  con- 
sumers, when  fine  fat  quarters  of  twice  that  weight  are 
obtainable.  Nor  will  it  pay  the  sheep  raiser  to  sell  sueh 
lambs  and  wethers  for  meat  when  those  of  double  value 
could  be  produced  in  the  same  at  a  little  more  expense. 

It -was  thought  that  the  prices  of  meat  would  decline 
at  the  close  of  the  war,  and  some  of  our  wise  men  in 
New  Mexico,  now  say^  produce  sheep  and  wool  in  the 
ratio  you  propose  and  increase  the  quality  and  quantity 
of  the  meat,  and-  you  will  reduce  the  price  so  that  it  will 
not  pay  to  raise  sheep  in  New  Mexico,  this  cannot  be 
the  case  for  many  years  to  come.  The  demand  for  long 
wool  both  in  Europe  and  in  this  country,  (for  it  is  evident 
that  in  England  the  supply  of  combing  .wools  is  not  suf- 
ficient for  the  demand)  will  make  combing  wools  an  art- 
icle which  will  be  a  source  of  wealth  to  the  producer  for 
many  years  yet  in  the  future. 

In  regard  to  the  production  of  meat,  -an  intelligent 
writer  has  said  in  language  better  than  I  can  express  it, 
that  "it  should  be  remembered  that  the  war  has  some- 
what reduced  our  meat  supply.  The  war  being  soon  over 
then  a  pastoral  life  will  be  quite  too  tame  for  soldiers, 
and  the  waste  of  meats  cannot  soon  be  repaired.  Many 


—56— 

of  the  soldiers  are  machinists  and  artizans.  Thousands  of 
them  will  repair  to  the  minss  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  ;•. 
and  many  will  seek  in  trade  and  speculation  in  cities  the 
excitement  which  they  crave.  Most  of  them  are  efficient 
consumers  of  meats  ;  very  few  will  be  producers.  Then 
our  shores  are  swarming,  and  for  years  \vill  swarm  as 
never  before,  with  foreign  immigrants,  hungry  for  meat9 
however  poverty  may  have  stinted  their  former  supply. 
All  these  mouthy  and  those  of  millions  unborn,  are  to 
be  supplied  in  the  years  of  the  immediate  future.  With 
what  shall  we  feed  them?  Not  with  pork,  becoming  vast- 
ly dearer  with  the  increased  price  of  corn  ;  not  altogether 
with  beef,  while  there  is  such  a  demand  for  wool,  and 
just  precisely  the  kind  of  wool  produced  by  mutton  sheep 
We  must  have  mutton  ;  and  sensible  men  with  money  in 
their  pockets  will  pay  prices  that  must  command  good 
mutton,  and  render  its  production  highly  profitable. 
Conditions  now  exist  favoring  adequate  remuneration  in 
this  branch  of  husbandry  that  have  never  before  been 
brought  together  in  so  potent  a  combination.  There  is 
an  opportunity  to  achieve  a  fame  and  a  success  in  this 
direction  in  a  field  as  yet  almost  entirely  new,  that  should 
engage  the  effort,  capital  and  ambition  of  the  enterpris- 
iqg;  and  there  is  little  doubt  that  it  will  be  promptly  and 
successfully  occupied  by  strangers  if  our  own  citizens  do 
not  avail  themselves  of  the  opportunity. 

Those,  therefore,  who  now  commence  with  judgment 
and  energy  the  production  of  real  superior  mutton  and 
cpmbing  wools  in  New  Mexico,  will  reap  an  abundant 
harvest  of  profit,  and  the  earlier  the  start  the  quicker  the 
reward,  and  that  it  will  engage  the  attention  of  enterpri- 
sing people  and  meet  their  j  ust  expectations  there  is  no 
2-90111  for  doubt. 

The  adaptio3,of  ttes  country  to  the  rearing  of  the 


ous  kinds  of  stock,  will  m  future  years  make  New  Mexi- 
co a  country  from  whence  large  supplies  of  meat  for  food, 
and  wools  for  manufacturing  clothing,  will  be  derived,  arid 
which  will  be  a  great  source  of  wealth  to  our  citizens, 
while  it  will  furnish  healthy  food  for  the  dwellers  in  our 
large  cities  east  of  the  Mississippi. 

The  natural  configuration  of  this  vast  Eocky  Mountain 
region  is  not  the  least  of  the  many  desirable  advantages  it 
presents.  It  is  situated  many  thousand  feet  above  tide 
water  fanned  by  the  purest  atmosphere,  and  supplied  with 
Innumerable  salubrious  streams  running  from  the  moun- 
tain springs,  and  furnishing  pure  water,  one  of  the  essen- 
tial elements  for  the  sustenance  of  both  man  and  beast. 
This  country  having  a  high  and  dry  range  so  conducive  to 
the  health  of  all  animals,  especially  sheep,  which  animal, 
I  believe,  if  properly  reared  and  improved,  will  prove  a 
greater  source  of  wealth  than  even  our  untold  and  vasfc 
mineral  deposits.  The  one  we  have  in  the  earth — the 
means  of  producing  the  other  we  have  on  the  earth.  The 
succession  of  mountain  and  valley  affords  the  most  ample 
defence  against  the  heat  of  summer  as  well  as  the  bleak, 
winds  of  winter;  artificial  protection  indispensable  at  the 
north  and  necessary  in  many  of  the  states;.of  this  Union-, 
which  is  so  apt  to  induce  disease  by  which  whole  flocks  and 
herds  are  sometimes  lost,  are  rendered  unnecessary  in  our 
more  favored  country.  Our  mesas  and  mountain  gorges, 
and  many  portions  of  our  valleys,  are  most  prolific  in  a 
variety  of  herbage  suitable  for  all  classes  of  animals,  but; 
especiall  adapted  to  sheep,  and  during  winter  they  afford 
a  supply  of  pasturage  so  abundant  that  no  additional  food 
is  required.  The  animals  can  have  access  to  a  continu- 
ous supply  of  good  food  and  pure  water  during  the  win- 
ter, and  by  a  judicious  management  the  only  expense  of 
rearing  sheep  and  cattle  in  this  country  is  the  hire  of  her-; 
tiers,  which  is  comparatively  a  trifle. 


—  58— 

•The  constant  supply  ofpro|>er  food  by  which  the  secre- 
tory powers  are  retained  in  full  action  and  -uninterrupted 
increase  of  meat  and  fat  in  animals,  and  of  growth  of 
wool  on  sheep,  is  promoted;  while  cases  of  constipation, 
and  various  diseases  frequently  fat^l  in  the  states  by  rea- 
son of  sudden  changes  of  food,  are  unknown  here,  there 
is  scarcely  a  day  in  the  year  in  which  cattleand  sheep  can- 
not h'nd  sufficient  food  of  a  proper  kind  to  keep  their  di- 
gestive organs  in  a  healthy  condition.  The  soil  in  our 
mountain  regions  is  generally  good;  and  it  is  by  no  means 
uncommon  to  find  it  fertile  and  producing  grama  grass 
even  to  the  tops  of  the  mountains;  and  although  there 
are  to  be  found  considernble  bodies  of  thin  soil,  yet  even 
•are  these  more  disposed  to  the  production  of  grass  than 
lands  of  a  better  quality  ir>  the  states.  My  experiencefor 
over  thirty-five  years  in  Virginia,  Pennsylvania,  and  Illi- 
nois, Kansas  and  New  Mexico  corrobora  te,  what  is  well 
Irnown  to  all  sheep  raisers,  that,  when  lands  are  treely 
pastured  by  sheep,  their  capacity  for  producing  grass  is 
much  assisted,  as  by  close  grazing  the  more  useless  grass- 
es, briers,  ect.,  are  subdued,  and  the  desirable  descript- 
ions allowed  to  strengthen  their  hold;  this  together  with 
the  tramping  of  the  land  and  the  droppings  of  the  sheep, 
induces  a  more  prolific  growth  of  good  grass. 

In  my  travels  over  a  large  expanse  of  country  within 
the  limits  of  New  Mexico  and  the  eastern  borders  of  Ari- 
zona, I  have  found  growing  wild  clover,  and  several  vari- 
eties of  grass  which  indicate  that  they  can  be  produced  in 
this  country  by  cultivation.  It  is  only  a  question  of  time 
and  the  construction  of  railroads  when  this  country,  in 
addition  to  its  native  grasses,  which  may  be  greatly  in- 
creased, will  have  large  meadows  and  pasture  grounds  of 
Cultivated  grasses,  and  it  has  been  for  nearly  forty  years 
a  favorite  theory  of  mine,  confirmed  by  my  practical  ob- 


s<?rvation,  that  so  far  as  the  quality  and  Relative  'coarse- 
ness and  fineness  of  wool  is  concerned  more  depends  up- 
on the  character  of  the  grass  than  upon  any  other  one 
thing,  except  it  may  be,  the  constant  change  of  the  breed- 
ing animals.  A  stock  raiser  may  determine  by  a  judi- 
cious seleetkm  of  his  breed  and  the  character  of  grass  -lie 
allows  them  to  uso  fer  food,  the  quality  and  quantity  of 
the  wool  his  flock  of  sheep  will  produce,  and  of  course  the 
quality  of  his  wool  will  regulate  tlio  price  he  will  get  in 
the  market,  and  determine  the  profit  arising  from  the  in- 
vestment of  his  capital.  This  is  especially  so  in  regard 
to  sheep,  but  is  also  to  a, great  extent  applicable  to  horses, 
cattle,  goats  and  hogs. 

CATTLE 

were  imported  into  Virginia  at  an  earlier  date'lhan  into 
Massachusetts,  for  as  early  as  1610  an  edict  was  passed 
by  the  governor  prohibiting  the  killing  of  any  domestic 
animals,  rtraeng  which  were  mentioned  neat  cattle  on  pen- 
alty of  death  to  the  principal  offender,  burning  in  the 
hand  and  loss  of  the  ears  to  the  accessory,  and  twenty- 
four  hours  whipping  to  the  concealer." 

Sir  Thomas  Gates  brought  into  Jamestown,  in  1711  a 
krge  importation  of  a  hundred  head  of  Devon-shire  and 
Herefordshire.  Cattle  were  also  imported  into  Delaware 
by  the  Swedes,  sent  out  by  Gustavus  Adolplius  in  1627. 
The  Spaniards  at  a  very  early  period  introduced  them  in- 
to the  West  Indies,  whence  they  were  afterward  carried 
to  the  continent,  and  from  which  the  wild  cattle  of  Texas 
and  New  Mexico  were  derived.  There  is  no  doubt  that 
the  present  cattle  of  New  Mexico  are  susceptible  of  great 
improvement,  and  that  there  is  a  mine  of  wealth  combin- 
ed in  the  cattle  that  could  be  produced  and  the  rich  and 
abundant  grama  and  other  grasses  of  our  mesas  and  val- 


—60— 

leys.      All  that  is  wanting  is  the  introduction  of  good  cat- 
tle from  Europe  and  our  Eastern  States. 

The  "native  stock"  of  our  cattle  would  be  much  im- 
proved by  the  introduction  for  beef  or  the  dairy  of  the 
s-hort  horn  Durhams,  Ayershire,  Devons,  Herefords,  and 
Jersey  or  Channel  Island  cattle.  The  short  horns  are 
generally  the  greatest  favorites  for  beef  from  their  large 
size  and  early  maturity,  though  not  making  so  fine  beef  as 
the  Devons  or  Herefords.  Those  of  our  people  who  wish 
to  improve  their  stock  of  cattle  would  do  well  to  procure 
the  several  volumes  of  the  American  Herd  Book,  and  ac- 
quaint themselves  with  the  best  animals  to  improve  our 
native  breeds.  In  1846,  Lewis  F.  Allen  of  Black  Rock, 
New  York,  a  laborious  worker,  a  keen,  shrewd  judge  of 
stock  of  all  kinds,  published  the  first  volume  of  the  Amer- 
ican Herd  Book  ; .  Some  years  afterwards  he  continued  it, 
and  has  published?  several  volumes.  This  book,  like  the 
English  Herd  Book  is  of  great  labor  and  corresponding 
value.  Either  of  them  is  regarded  as  authority,  and  in  my 
opinion  the  American  Herd  Book  should  be  owned  by  ev- 
ery breeder  of  cattle. 

My  opinion  is  that  for  beef  the  short  horns  are  the  best 
tor  New  Mexico.  '  The  Ayershire  gives  the  greates  flow 
of  milk,  the  Jersey  the  richest,,  and  the  Devons  make  the 
best  work  cattle.  No  doubt  the  crossing  of  these  breeds 
with  our  native,  and  recrossing  back,-  in  various  ways, 
would  help  very  much  to  improve  our  old  "native  stock," 
by  adding  to  them  .one  or  another  of  these  desirable  qual- 
ities, we  would  then  have  better  milkers,  better  beef  cat- 
tle, and  better  work  oxen  at  three  years  than  at  six  and 
seven  years  now,  and  one  animal  would  then  be  worth 
more  than  three  are  now.  They  would  fatten  easier  and 
at  less  expense,  and  our  work  cattle  would  be  much  im- 
proved ;  though  in  many  part*., of  the  country  as  it  be- 


—61— 

comes  settled  we  find  liorses  are  to  a  considerable  extent 
superseding  for  farm  purposes  the  pa'tient  ox.  In  many 
parts  however,  oxen  will  continue  to  be  used  and  appre- 
ciated, and  will  be  better  trained. 

HORSES. 

No  department  connected  with  the  breeding  of  domestic 
animals  in  New  Mexico  has  received  so  little  attention 
us  the  production  of  first  class  horses.  While  we  have  all 
kinds  of  horseflesh,  and  some  very  hardy  and  splendid 
riding  animals,  derived  from  California  and  the  wild  nat- 
ive ponies  of  the  country,  "broncos"  and  "mustangs"  we 
have  scarcely  any  thorough  bred  or  blood  horses,  and  very 
little  is  known  by  our  farmers  in  regard  to  the  improve- 
ment of  our  horses.  There  is  no  subject  upon  which 
I  cannot  say  probably  more,  than  upon  that  of  the  sub- 
ject which  heads  this  article;  as  I  see,  however,  that 
under  the  head  of  "Lost  Races,"  a  gentleman  is  get- 
ting up  a  list  of  the  horses  that  have  been  beaten  in  the 
the  various  races  of  the  country.  I  may  be  able  to  say 
something  on  the  subject  of  the  improvement  of  horses, 
not  with  reference  to  the  subject  of  producing  fast  horses 
(as  I  do  not  approve  of  racing  horses)  but  in  regard  to 
animals  for  work  and  use  for  transportation,  etc.,  for 
sometime  I  have  thought  much  in  regard  to  the  subject 
of  beating  horses  (not  in  races)  but  as  it  has  reference 
to  the  organization  of  "a  society  for  the  prevention  of 
cruelty  to  animals,"  as  many  beat  and  abuse  their  horses 
burros  and  mules  in  New  Mexico,  in  such  a  manner  that 
it  is  impossible  to  have  good  serviceable  animals.  I 
thank  Providence  that  to  some  extent  I  have  been  able 
to  correct  this  evil  in  my  own  immediate  neighborhood 
except  with  one  man,  and  I  trust  ere  long,  he  will  be 
induced  >to  believe  that  kindness  to  a  dumb  animal  is  fat 


better  than  a  beating.  He  will  certainly' learn  a  lesson 
if  he  should  find  himself  again  on  the  roof  of  a  house  with 
his  horse,  or  rolling  down  the  side  of  a  mountain  with 
his  horse-after  him.  There  is  certainly  a  good  field  of 
labor  in  New  Mexico  for  Mr.  Bergh  of  New  York  or 
my  goocl  friend  Fay  of  Massachusetts,  and  I  know  I 
would  rejoice  to  see  either  or  both  of  them  here,  they 
might  be  able  to  tell  us  of  some  substitute  for  horseflesh 
for  the  Indians  -of  New  Mexico.  I  --will,  however,  give 
them  notice  in  advance,  that  they  will  be  compelled  to 
ascertain  what  is  better  as  food  and  be  fortified  with  argu- 
ments to  convince  the  Indians  that  good  fat  beef  or  mutton 
is  better  than  the  meat  of  a  worn-out  and  abused  horse 
or  mule  which  the  wild  indians  prefer. 

In  an  article  on  "The  horsea  of  the  United  States"  by 
Colonel  Rifigwalt  of  Downington,  Pennsylvania,  he  says  : 

"The  United  States  contains  a  much  large  number  of 
horses  than  any  European  country.  In  1860,  we  posses- 
sed 7,431,681.  A  few  years  ago  the  horses  in  Europe 
were  supposed  to  number  22,430,000;  of  Africa  3,000,- 
000  :  of  Asia  25,000,000,  and  of  the  whole  world  nearly 
59,000,000.  So  that  we  have  more  than  one  eighth  of 
the  whole  race.  Our  country  has  proved  as  genial  a  home 
for  the  horse  as  for  his  master.  As  we  exceed  all  other 
nations  in  the  number' so  we  have  gained  the  questiona- 
ble pre-eminence  of  an  unprecedented  variety  in  the  breeds 
of  our  horses.  Emigrants  from  Europe  naturally  brought 
with  them,  at  different  times,  the  animal  with  which  they 
were  most  familiar.  The  Spaniards  took  to  the  South 
West  and  to  Mexico,  whence  they  escaped  into  Texas, 
California,  New  Mexico,  Colorado  and  the  plains,  their 
famous  barbs,  which  were  formerly  regarded,  as  u  supe- 
rior breed,  and  which  in  their  best  condition  are  but  little 
infer*  ^r  to  the  Arabian.  Some  of  the  finest  thorough 


—63— 

breds  of  England  are  derived  from  this  race, 
The  wild  horses  of  our  plains  occasionlly  excite  the 
warm  admiration  of  critical  observers.  Washington  Ir- 
ving, in  his  "Tour  on  the  Prairie,"  gives  frequent  expres- 
pression  to  his  feelings  ;  and  as  the  race  is  now  disappear- 
ing as  rapidly  as  the  buffalo,  one  of  that  writer's  descrip- 
tions may  be  appropriately  quoted  :  "  On  resuming  our 
march  we  eame  to  a  little  meadow  surrounded  by  groves 
of  elms  and  cottonwood  trees,  in  the  midst  of  which  was 
a  fine  black  horse  grazing.  Beattie  (a  half  breed  guide)  , 
who  was  in  advance  beckoned  us  to  halt,  and  being  mount- 
ed on  a  mare  approached  the  horse  gently,  step  by  step, 
imitating  the  whining  of  an  anfm-al,  with  admirable  exact- 
ness, The  noble  courser  of  tlie  prairie  gazed  for  a  time, 
snuffed  the  air,  pricked  up  his  ears,  and  pranced  round 
and  round  the  mare  in  gallant  style,  but  kept  at  too  great 
a  distance  for  Beattie  to  throw  the  lariat.  He  was  a  mag- 
nificent object,  in  all  the  pride  and  glory  of  'his  n/iture. 
It  was  admirable  to  see  the  lofty  and  airy  carriage  of  his 
head,  the  freedom  of  every  movement,  the  elasticity  with 
which  he  trod  the  mteadow.  Finding  it  impossible  to  get 
within  noosing  distance,  and  seeing  that  the  horse  was  re- 
ceding and  growing  alarmed  Beattie  slid  down  from  his 
saddle,  leveled  his  rifle  across  the  back  of  his  mare,  and 
took  aim  with  the  evident  intention  of  creasing  him.  I 

^ 

felt  a  throb  of  anxiety  for  the  safety  of  the  noble  animal 
and  called  out  to  Beatte  to  desist.  It  was  too  late,  ho 
pulled  the  trigger  as  I  spoke.  Luckily,  he  did  not  shoot 
with  his  usual  accuracy,  nnd  I  had  the  satisfaction  to  see 
the  coal-black  steed  da  shroff  unharmed  into  the  forest." 

In  the  statistics  found,  on  page  forty -seven  of  the  Agri- 
cultural report  for  1869  is  a  tablfe  showing  the  number 
and  valus  of  the  horses  in  the  United  States  which 
shows  8,248,800  horses  valued  at  $671,319,461;  in  the 


—frl— 

territories  it  is  stated  there  are  sixty  thousand  horses  val- 
ued at  $3,600,000.  This  amount  could  be  doubled  in 
New  Mexico  alone  in  the  next  ten  years,  with  care  and 
proper  attention  to  raising  and  improving  the  horses  of 
our  Torritory. 

The  wild  Indians  of  New  ilexico  number  as  follows, 
viz;: 

Navajoes,  8,500 

Apaches,  4,502 

Utes,  1,347 

Total  14,349. 

Two  years  a*go  when  I  took  the  census  of  these  Indians 
1  found  in  their  possession  10,908  horses,  some  of  which 
were  of  the  best  quality  of  "native"  stock.  Now  suppose 
these  Indians  did  not  eat  horse  flesh,  and  ceased  to  abuse 
their  animals  aa  they  do,  and  were  to  give  their  attention 
to  the  improvement  of  the  breed,  what  would  be  the  re- 
sult? The  natural  increase  of  these  animals  would  give 
the  first  year  about  6000,  and  each  year  thereafter 
an  increase.  Take  the  six  thousand  animals  of  the 
first  years  and  keep  them  on  the  grama  grass  of  our 
Mesas,  and  at  four  years  old,  if  they  were  not  rode  to 
death  before  that  time,  and  then  eaten  by  the  Indians, 
they  would  be  worth  at  least  sixty  dollars  each,  which 
would  make  three  hundred  and  sixty  thousand  dollars, 
and  this  amount  would  now  be  greatly  increased  by  the 
demand  for  horses  in  consequence  of  the  death  of  such 
numbers  in  the  cities  from  the  epizootic.  It  is  very  clear 
that  the  wild  Indians  of  New  Mexico  could  on  their  hor- 
ses alone,  (if  they  would  deny  themselves  of  the  delica- 
cy of  horse  flesh  diet,)  be  made  self  sustaining.  If  Indi- 
ans can  do  this,  is  it  not  much  more  -certain  that  our  citi- 
zens who  have  ranches  and  extent  of  pasture  going  to 


—65— 

waste  every  year,  can  also  do  it?  f  know  men  in  New 
Mexico  who  have  a  hundred  mares  or  more  and  yet  they, 
scarcely  have  a  horse  fit  to  ride  or  work,  owing  to  their 
neglect  to  improve  the  stock,  and  their  abuse  of  the  ani- 
mals. They  do  ndt  remember  the  injunction  : 

"Uphill  bear  him 

Down  hill  spare  him 

On  the  level  let  him  trot 

And  in  the  stable  forget  him  not." 
Indian  warriors  frequently  attach  a's  much  value  to  their 
favorite  steed  as  the  Arab  to  his  fleetest  coursers.  Col. 
Ringwah  says  :  I  saw  a  band  of  the  Sac  and  Fox  at  Dav- 
enport, Iowa,  some  years  ago,  who,  however  ready  to 
sell  their  inferior  horses  refused  tempting  offers  for  their 
best  animals.  In  fixing  a  price  one  clap  of  the  hands 
signified  ten  dollars,  and  when  asked  to  designate  the 
value  of  a  superior  horse,  they  would  after  innumerable 
clappings,  smile  and  shake  their  heads  saying  "no  shones" 
(no  money)  in  a  manner  which  clearly  proved  that  they 
regarded  him  above  all  price.  Among  the  tribes  of  the 
Northwest  the  turf  is  a  favorite  institution,  and  in  the 
official  description  of  the  Indians  of  Washington  Terri- 
tory, published  in  the  first  volume  of  Pacific  railway 
reports,  it  is  stated  that  at  certain  seasons  the  Klikitats, 
descend  to  the  Yahkohtle,  Chalaka,  and  Talik  prairies, 
where  they  are  met  by  the  Yakimas  who  assemble  with 
them  for  the  purpose  of  gathering  a  late  species  of  ber- 
ry and  of  racing  horses.  The  racing  season  is  the  grand 
annual  occasion  of  these  tribes.  A  horse  of  proved  re- 
putation is  a  source  of  wealth  or  ruin  to  his  owner.  On 
hia  speed  he  stakes  his  whole  stud,  his  household  goods, 
his  clothes,  and  finally  his  wives;  and  a  single  race 
doubles  his  fortune,  or  sends  him  forth  an  impoverished 
adventurer.  The  interest,  however,  is  not  confined  to 


the  individual  directly  concerned  ;  the  tribe  share  with 
him,  and  a  common  pile  of  goods  of  motlev  description^ 
apportioned  according  to  their  ideas  of  value,  is  put  up 
by  either  party  to  be  divided  among  the  backers  of  th& 
winner." 

Similar  scenes  may  be  witnessed  amongst  the  Indians- 
of  New  Mexico  and  Arizona,  and  the  losers  then  become- 
"hunters;"  with  a  lariat  they  "go  hunting"  and  return 
frequently  with  horses  stolen  from  the  settlements.  If 
these  races  were  forbidden  by  the  agents  and  broken  up,, 
the  great  incentive  to  horse  stealing  would  be  removed, 
and  a  better  class  of  horses  among  the  Indians  would  be 
the  result.  Another  source  of  great  loss  in  the  raising 
and  keeping  good  horses  among  the  Indians  is  the  supersti- 
tious custom  of  killing  all  the  horses  belonging  to  a  war- 
rior when  he  dies  ;  an  efficient  agent  with  patience  and 
prudence  can  correct  this,  and  I  care  not  what  tribe  of 
Indians  he  has  in  charge  he  can  in  a  fe\v  years  with 
proper  authority  from  the  government  make  his  Indiana 
self-sustaining  from  the  horses,  cattle  and  sheep  that 
they  would  raise.  The  Indians  of  the  Rocky  Mountains 
are  more  disposed  to  pastoral  pursuits  than  to  agricultur- 
al labor ;  they  are  nomadic  in  their  habits,  and  all  that 
they  require  is  to  be  taught  economy  and  induced  to  give 
up  their  superstitious  notions. 

As  the  eastern  portion  cf  our  country  becomes  more 
densely  settled;  as  manufacturers,  mining  commerce,  and 
all  other  non- producing  occupations  and  professions  multi- 
ply; as  the  country  becomes  more  thickly  peopled  ;  as 
villages  draw  in  their  houses  around  them  and 
become  towns ;  as  towns  expand  their  limits, 
and  become  cities  ;  as  cities  pile  their  houses  heavenward, 
and  fill  them  with  hungry  occupants  ;  as  railroads  are  con- 
btructed  and  being  constructed,  of  course,  a  greater  de- 


—  67— 

mand  must  be  made  on  the  agricultural  and  pastoral  por- 
tions of  the  country,  to  supply  them  with  food.  Let  our 
farmers  and  ranchmen  prepare  for  this  great  harvest, 
which  is  gradually  coming  to  us,  by  an  improvement  and 
increase  of  the  horses,  cattle,  sheep  and  hogs,  etc.,  in  the 
Territory  of  New  Mexico,  so  that  we  may  supply  the  in- 
creased facilities  by  railroads  for  their  transportation  to 
the  Eastern  States. 

CLIMATE. 

Its  mildness  of  climate  and  remarkable  healthfulness 
has  become  proverbial,  the  dryness  and  purity  of  the  at- 
mosphere all  over  the  Territory,  and  especially  in  the 
valleys  have  induced  many  invalids  afflicted  by  Pulmon- 
ary nnd  other  diseases  to  test  its  salubrity  with  great 
benefit  to  them  and  a  prolongation  of  their  lives. 

The  following  report  of  the  signal  officer  at  Santa  Fe 
will  give  some  idea  of  the  pure  and  even  temperature  of  the 
atmosphere  in  New  Mexico. 

WAR  DEPARTMENT. 

SIGNAL  SERVICE  U.  S.  A. 
SANTA  FE/ January  6th  1872. 

Although  the  science  of  Meteorology  is  comparatively 
new,  and  moreover  a  difficult  one  because  of  the  capri- 
cious nature  of  the  elements  of  which  it  treats  yet  it  can- 
not be  denied  that  under  the  present  system  of  local  and 
eyncronical  observation  adopted  by  our  government  it  is 
rapidly  being  developed  into  a  perfect  science  with  definite 
principles  and  fixed  laws. 

Already  the  mariner  heeds  the  * 'cautionary  signal"  and 
rides  safely  in  the  harbor  while  the  storm  and  tempest 
pass,  and  we  may  expect  soon  to  see  the  farmer  plant  and 
reap  with  much  greater  profit  because  he  anticipates  the 
prolonged  rain  or  the  blighting  drouth. 


—68— 

As  many  of  our  citizens  are  interested  in  tills  branch 
of  science,  we  publish  the  following  condensed  report  for 
the  year  ending  December  31st  1872,  which  is  the  result 
of  careful  observation  made  with  the  most  approved  and 
accurate  instruments. 

At  this  station  the  monthly  mean  of  Barometer  (cor- 
rected for  temperature  and  elevation)  for  each  month  was 
as  follows  :  January,  29,77  ;  February,  29,733  ;  March, 
29,735;  April,  29,725  ;  May,  29,851 ;  June,  29,883  ; 
July,  29,925;  August,  29,97;  Sept;  29, 91;  October, 
29,90;  November,  29,83;  December,  29,783.  Mean 
of  Barometer  for  the  year, — 29,835. 

Monthly  mean  of  Thermometer  :  January,  27°  ;  Feb- 
ruary, 34°  ;  March,  38,8°  ;  April,  45,8°  ;  May,  58,1°  ; 
June,  66,9°  ;  July,  67,6°  ;  August,  87°  ;  September, 
GO0  ;  October,  49°  ;  November,  33°  ;  December  32,6°  ; 
Mean  of  Thermometer  for  the  year, — 48,  3°. 

The  highest  observed  temperature  during  the  year  was 
88°  and  the  lowest  5°  below  zero. 

Total  rainfall  for  each  month  expressed  inches  and  hun- 
dreths  :  January,  34;  February,  20;  March,  13;  April, 
14  ;  May,  45  ;  June,  2,44  :  July,  2,62  ;  August,  2,98  ; 
September,  27  ;  October,  25  ;  November,  01  ;  Dec.  04. 
The  greatest  single  rainfall  was  1,21  inches  which  occured 
June  4th.  Total  rainfall  for  the  year — 9,87  inches. 

The  wind  has  travelled  50,220  miles  with  the  prevail- 
ing direction  North. 

JOHN  P.  CLUM. 
Observer  Signal  Service  IT.  S.  A. 

Santa  Fe,  N.  M. 

Llany  persons  suppose  that  owing  to  the  arid  climate  of 
New  Mexico  and  the  reported  small  rainfall,  that  water 
would  be  scarce.  Such  should  remember  that  the  reports 


— 69— 

are  generally  made  in  reference  to  the  valleys,  and  that 
in  the  mountain  ranges  there  are  during  the  winter  gen- 
erally heavy  falls  of  snow,  which  supply  our  streams  with 
an  abundance  of  water  by  its  melting  durjng  the  spring 
and  summer  months  ;  besides  this,  there  are  many  springs, 
hot  and  impregnated  with  minerals,  also  cold  springs, 
thus  we  are  blessed  with  pure  air  and  water,  both  essen- 
tial to  health  ;  and  with  the  Nile  of  America  for  irriga- 
tion, we  have  abundance  of  water  to  cultivate  the  valleys 
of  RiodelNorte,  Rio  Grande  and  the  tributaries  of  this 
great  river. 

"With  reference  to  the  subject  of  disease  I  quote  from  a 
letter  from  Lew  Kennon,  JV1.  D.,  of  Santa  Fe,  the  lead- 
ing physician  of  this  Territory,  who  has  had.  an  extensive 
practice  in  New  Mexico  for  twenty  years.  He  says  : 

*'  "It  is  certain  that  even  when  the  lungs 
were  irreparably  diseased  very  much  benefit  has  resulted. 
Invalids  have  come  here  with  the  system  falling  into  tuber- 
cular ruin  and  their  lives  been  astonishingly  prolonged 
by  the  dry,  bracing  atmosphere. 

The  most  amazing  results,  however,  are  produced  in 
warding  off  the  approaches  of  Phthisis,  and  I  am  sure 
there  are  but  few  cases  which  if  sent  here  before  the  mala- 
dy is  well  pronounced,  would  fail  to  be  arrested.  Where 
hardening  has  occurred  or  even  considerable  cavities  been 
established,  relief  altogether  astonishing  takes  place. 

The  lowest  death  rate  from  tubercular  disease  in  Am- 
erica is  in  New  Mexico.  The  census  of  1860  and  1870 
give  25  per  cent,  in  New  England,  14  in  Minnesotta, 
from  5  to  6  in  the  different  southern  states,  and  3  percent 
in  New  Mexico. 

I  have  never  known  a  case  of)  bronchitis  brought  here 
that  was  not  vastly  improved  or  altogether  cured ;  and 
asthma  as  well. 


—70— 

Rheumatism  and  diseases  of  the  heart  with  or  without  a 
rheumatic  origin  do  badly  here.  Valvular  difficulty  in 
that  organ,  is  invariably  made  worse.  But,  the  must  as- 
tonishing effect.of  this  climate  is  seen  in  those  cases  of 
general  debility  of  all  the  functions  of  body  and  mind. 
That  used  up  condition,  the  pestilent  nuisance  of  physicians 
in  the  great  cities.  People  come  here  in  a  sort  of  debacle, 
having  little  hope  of  living  and  often  little  desire  to,  and 
the  relief  is  so  quick  as  to  seem  miraculous. 

I  have  no  doubt  that  when  means  of  access  to  this  coun- 
try are  better,  and  therefore  it  being  better  known,  it 
will  rival  or  supersede  Florida,  Madeira,  Nice  or  Dr.  Ben- 
nett's much  vaunted  paradise  of  Mentone  as  a  sanitarium. 
The  country  4s  far  distant  from  either  ocean  ;  it  is  utterly 
free  from  all  causes  of  disease.  The  atmosphere  is  Almost 
as  dry  as  that  &f  Egypt.  The  winters  are  so  mild  that 

there  are  not  ten  days  in  the  whole  year  an  invalid  cannot 
take  exercise  in  the  open  air.  The  summers  are  so  cool' 
that  in  midsummer  one  or  two  blankets  are  necessary  to 
sleep  under.  The  whole  territory  has  been  always  aston- 
ishingly free  from  epidemic  disease. 

For  weak  or  broken-down  children  there  is  surely  nothing 
like  it  on  the  face  of  the  earth.  With  them  the  law  of 
survival  of  the  strongest  here  seems  not  to  obtain  at  all.'* 

Professor  Hayden  in  his  published  report  for  1870,  pa- 
ges 204  and  205,  says  in  reference  to  the  climate,  etc.  : 

"  In  order  to  understand  properly  the  differences  in 
climate  and  productions  observable  in  the  different  parts 
of  this  section,  it  is  necessary,  not  ©nly  to  take  into  con- 
sideration the  latitude,  but  also  the  variations  in  altitude, 
and  proximity  to  high  mountains,  Beginning  at  the  San 
Luis  Valley,  with  an  elevation  of  7,000  feet  above  the 
level  of  the  sea,  we  find  when  we  reach  Santa  F6  the 


height  is  still  G,840  feet,*  which  is  higher  than  some  of  the 
valleys  further  north.  Keeping  on  the  same  plateau,  and 
moving  south,  the  elevations  of  the  principal  points  are 
*is  follows  :  Galisteo  Village,  6,165  ;  Los  Cerrillos,  5,804  ; 
-Canon  Blanco,  6,320,  and  a  little  southwest  of  the  canon 
near  Laguna  Blanca^  6.943  feet.  Moving  southwest  from 
this  point  toward  Albuquerque,  wa  find  the  elevation  at 
San  Antonio  is  6,408  feet.  But  when  we  descend  into 
the  immediate  valley  of  the  Rio  Grande,  as  far  north  as 
Pen  a  Blanca,  it  is  only  5,288  feet  above  the  jea  level,  or 
1,552  lower  than  at  Santa  Fe.  At  San  Felipe  i t is  5,220  ; 
at  Albuquerque,  5,026;  at  Isleta,  4,910;  at  Socorro, 
4,560;  at  Alamosa,  4,200,  and  at  El  Paso  about  3,800. 
Strange  as  it  may  appear,  when  we  cross  the  ridge  east 
••of  Santa  Fe,  to  the  headwaters  of  the  Pecos,  we  find  the 
altitude  of  Pecos  Village  but  6,360  feet — about  500  feet 
lower  than  at  Santa  Fe  ;  while  at  Anton  Chico  it  is  only 
5,372  feet,  corresponding  very  nearly  with  that  of  the 
•Rio  Grande  Valley  at  Pemi  Blanca. 

I  have  given  these  particulars  in  regard  to  the  elevation 
<>f  this  region  to  show  that,  sweeping  around  the  southern 
terminus  of  the  Rocky  Mountain  range,  is  an  elevated 
plateau,  or  extended  mesa,  which  reaching  north  along 
•the  inside  of  the  basin  for  some  distance,  occupies  both 
sides  of  the  river,  but  southward  recedes  from  it.  At  Pen  i 
Blanca  we  descend  into  the  Rio  Grande  Valley  proper, 
which  continues  along  the  southern  course  of  the  river 
with  little  interruption  throughout  the  rest  of  the  territory. 
From  this  {loint  south,  fruits  and  tenderer  vegetables  and 
plants  are  grown  with  ease,  which  fail  no  farther  north 
than  Santa  Fe."  &c. 

— *I)r.  Koanon  has  furnished  me  the  following  in  regard  to  Santa 
;••• :  '-Average  temperature  i'or  months  of  November  and  Decem- 
ber, 1871,  and  January  and  February,  1872,  deduced  from  270  obser- 
vations taken  at  7  a.  m.,  12  in.,  niad  7  p.  m.  39°.  Mean  ol'  270  ob- 
servations (Barometric)  reduced  to  freezing  point  23,  25.937 
Elevation  0,837. G7  feet. 


—72— 

MINES  AND  MININ<5, 

The  destruction  caused  by  the  Texan  invasion,  in  1861 
— 62  had  a  most  disastrous  effect  upon  this  country.  The 
invaders  consumed  its  substance,  caused  the  loss  of  al- 
most its  entire  mining  capital,  and  much  injured  the  agri- 
cultural interests.  The  Indians,  seeing  that  the  whites 
were  at  war,  increased  in  boldness  and  compelled  the 
abandonment  of  many  mines  and  settlements. 

Before  the  late  war  two  copper  mines  were  extensively 
worked,  the  "Santa  Rita"  and  the  "Hanover,"  turning 
out  about  twelve  tons  of  copper  per  week,  and  employing 
jointly,  about  five  hundred  hands.  Other  copper  mines 
had  been  opened,  or  were  about  to  commence  operations* 

The  mines  in  the  placer  mountain  about  thirty  miles 
from  Santa  Fe,  have  in  former  years,  been  productive,  also 
the  "Ortiz"  and  "Cunningham"  mines.  Gold-bearing 
quartz,  in  this  mountain,  had  been  worked  for  a  number 
of  years  before  th,e  war.  When  the  Texans  invaded 
]Nrew  Mexico  there  were  about  forty  Americans  at  work 
in  these  mines,  and  in  the  run  of  the  mill  for  twenty  four 
h.ours  they  obtained  about  $750  worth  of  gold.  There  is 
also  near  these  shafts  a  coal  mine  several  feet  in  width, 
and  a  short  distance  therefrom  an  extensive  deposit  of 
magnetic  iron.  I  have  seen  some  fine  specimens  of  gold 
from  this  mountain,  which  indicate  its  value. 

The  silver  mines  on  the  west  of  this  mountain  are 
very  rich  and  easily  worked.  With  proper  machinery, 
and  a  little  energy  these  mines  could  be  made  very  profit- 
able. 

At  Pinos  Altos  some  300  miners  were  at  work  in  placer 
roining,  gold  quartz,  and  silver  mining,  and  this  new  dis- 
trict was  bidding  fair  to  be  the  first  in  richness  on  the 
frontier ;  new  lodes  were  bjein^discovered  daily. 


after  the  war  broke  out  the  Indians  combined  to  destroy 
the  town  of  Pinos  Altos.  They  made  the  assault  in 
broad  day,  some  600  strong,  and,  having  surprised  the- 
population  they  charged  through  the  town,  and  the  in- 
habitants owe  their  salvation  to  a  mountain  howitzer. 

At  San  Jose  a  small  force  was  engaged  in  quartz  min- 
ing, several  companies  were  organized  to  work  in  this 
district. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  war  a  placer  had  been  dis- 
covered in  the  Jicarilla  Mountains  in  Lincoln  county, 
w.here  some  300  miners,  chiefly  Mexicans,  were  at  work 
and  doing  well.  Other  companies  were  about  to  com- 
mence operations  on  the  silver- lodes  of  the  "Organos"'' 
mountain?.  The  Stephenson  company  had  shipped  a  lot 
of  machinery  and  material  to  work  extensively  the  Stephen- 
son,  silver  mines.  These  reached  their  destination  the 
very  we<  k  hostilities  commenced>on  the  frontier. 

In  1862  a  large  number  of  persons  entered  the  San 
Juan  region  on  account  of  the  gold  excitement.  (This 
country  is  claimed  and  roamed  over  by  the  Weminutche 
and  Capote  bands  of  Utah  Indians.)  They  built  a  town  on 
the  Rio  Las  Animas,  which  they  were  compelled  to  aban- 
don, the  houses  now  remaining  unoccupied.  Many  of  them 
returned  to  the  settlements  in  a  starving,  condition,  al- 
though gold  and  silver  was  found  in  the  mountains,  and 
on  all  the  streams  tributary  to  the  San  Juan  river.  This 
includes  the  mining  operation  previous  to  the  rebellion, 
and  these  were  at  different  points  in  New  Mexico  and  Ari- 
zona. Other  points  have  been  prospected,  and  the  pre- 
cious metals  are  known  to  exist  in  abundance  throughout 
the  whole  mountain  portion  of  this  country. 

The  Comnrssioner  of  the  General  Land  Office,  in  his  re- 
port for  1868  page  54,  says  ; 

^ Valuable  minerals  are  found  in,  every  portion  of  N,ew, 


—74— 

Mexico.  In  numerous  localities  may  now  be  seen  shafts 
and  drifts,  the  work  of  former  generations,  and  the  only 
monuments  left  of  their  energy,  activity  and  industry, 
while  the  almost  daily -discovery  of  new  lodes  of  gold  and 
silver-bearing  quartz  and  auriferous  placers  indicate  that 
mining  operations  in  the  future  will  be  as  productive  as 
in  the  past,  (as  in  the  days  of  Montezuma  and  Cortes.) 

On  page  162  he  says  : 

"New  Mexico,  Arizona,  Nevada,  and  Southern  Califor- 
nia present  an  area  of  productive  soil  and  genial  climate 
that  promises  under  the  stimulus  of  railway  communica- 
tion to  attract  and  support  a  large  industrial  population. 
Both  the  agricultural  and  mineral  resources  of  these  re- 
gions are  on  a  magnificent  scale/'  etc. 

A  small  appropriation  was  made  by  Congress  for  a  geo- 
logical survey  of  Colorado  and  New  Mexico,  which  was 
•made  by  Dr.  F.  V.  Hay  den,  United  States  geologist,  and 
his  assistants,  but  wh;ch  was,  in  consequence  of  the  want 
of  funds,  necessarily  brief  and  imperfect,  yet  in  an  exam- 
ination of  only  a  few  day  spent  in  New  Mexico,  (no  por- 
tion of  which  was  given  to  the  west  side  of  the  Rio  Gran- 
de,) he  reports  the  following  "minerals  of  commercial  valr 
ue." 

Lon  Pyrites,  Copper  Pyrites — Mostly  auriferious,  wide- 
ly distributed  in  veins  over  the  flanks  of  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains in  New  Mexico  and  in  numerous  lesser  chains  of 
granitic  nnd  metamorphic  rocks. 

Malachite,  green  vitriol.  Hue  vitriol — Principally  from 
decompositions  of 'the  above  wherever  the  .ores  have  been 
exposed  to  weathering*  Widely  distributed  in  veins  over 
the  flanks  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  in  New  Mexico,  and 
in  numerous  lesser  chains  of  granitic  and  metamorphic 
rocks. 

ZincblcnJe,  often  argentiferous — Sandia,  &c» 


— I'd— 

Galena,  often  argentiferous — Maxwell's  near  Mora. 

Brittle  Silver — Maxwell's,  near  Mora. 

Fahlcrz — Maxwell's  near  Mora. 

Specular  Iron  Ore — Real  Dolores,  near  Ortiz  mine. 

Red  and  Brown  Hematite — Widely  distributed  ;  Old 
Placer,  &G. 

Magnetic  Pyrites — New  Placer. 

Coal — Raton  mountains,  Maxwell's,  Real  Dolores,  £'j. 

Cenissitc — Maxwell's. 

Anglesite — Maxwell's . 

Native  Gold — Arroyo  Hondo,  Moreno,  Brahm  Lode, 
New  Placer,  &c. 

Native  Silver — Maxwell's 

Horn  Silver — M axwel  1's . 

Titanic  Iron  Ore — Real  Dolores. 

Smithsonite — Sandia . 

Silver   G  lance — Moreno,  New   and   Old  Placers. 

Light  and  dark  rub ij  sllcer — Maxwell's. 

Spathic  and  Mica  clous  Iron  Ores — Real  Doloras. 

Turquoise — Cerrillos,  between  Santa,  F6  and  San  Laza- 
ro  mountains. 

Professor  Hayden  says  in  his  report,  page  130  : 

"The  valuable  ores  abound  almost  everywhere  in  the 
granite  and  gneiss  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  and  the  eco- 
nomic question  is  not  to  find  the  material,  but  the  capital 
and  labor  with  which  to  work.  That  the  country  over 
which  these  investigations  were  made  is  replete  with  those 
minerals  which  by  their  decomposition  are  found  by  ex- 
perience to  most  enrich  the  soil,  as  it  is  with  the  before- 
mentioned  minerals  of  commercial  value. 

MINERALS. 

Gold  is  known  to  exist  in  over  fifty  different  localities 
in  this  country.  It  and  silver  mnst  have  been  known 


—76—. 

and  extensively  mined  by  the  Aztecs,  as  the  presence  of 
their  old  ruins  is  said  to  be  an  almost  unfailing  indication 
of  mines.  The  Spaniards  mined  gold,  silver,  and  cop- 
per in  this  region,  and  Jesuit  priests  more  thoroughly 
prospected  it  than  it  has  been  since.  They  reported  at 
nil  points  great  riches,  and  the  existence  of  all  the  pre- 
cious metals.  At  the  Placer  Mountain  the  Old  and  New 
Placer,  quarts  lodes  have  been  opened  since  the  war. 

At  Moreno  mines,  at  Ute  Creek,  and  other  tributaries 
of  the  Cimarron  and  Eed  river,  large  deposits  of  gold 
have  been  discovered  and  worked.  The  Commissioner 
of  the  General  Land  Office,  in  his  report  of  1868,  page 
54,  says : 

There  has  recently  been  received  at  this  office  a  speci- 
men of  ore,  consisting  of  a  silicious  deposit  of  exceedingly 
loose  texture,  through  which  are  interspersed  fibers  of 
pure  gold,  some  oi  which  exceed  two  inches  in  length.  It 
is  claimed  that  an  assay  (made  at  the  Denver  mint)  of  a 
specimen  of  this  ore,  in  which  no  gold  was  visible  to  the 
eye,  yielded  at  the  rate  of  $19,000  to  the  ton.  The 
locality  in  which  this  specimen  was  obtained  is  on  the 
headwaters  of  the  creek,  a  branch  of  Cimarron  river,  and 
the  existence  of  the  deposit  was  hitherto  unsuspected. 

Several  years  ago  gold  was  discovered  at  Arroyo 
Hondo,  Taos  county,  and  the  *  Arroyo  Hondo  Mining  and 
Ditch  Company"  organized.  Since  then  gold  has  been 
found  in  paying  quantities  at  Carson's  Gulch,  Stewart's 
Gulch,  Prospect  Gulch,  Seymour  Gulch,  Good-luck 
Gulch,  Quien  Sabe  Gulch,  and  California  Gulch,  formerly 
called  "Canada  de  la  Pluma,"  the  King  William  gold 
lode,  and  the  Henk  gold  lode. 

The  gold  found  in  the  gulches-is  shot-gold  mostly.  Th& 
specimens  from  the  lodes  are  rich  quartz^  and  the  gpltJ 


-7T— 

•can  be   distinguished  with    the  naked    eye.       This  whole 
section  is  evidently  abounding  in  gold. 

At  Pinos  Altos,  quartz  gold-mining  received  considera- 
ble attention.  Thirty  lodes  were  discovered,  paying  from 
forty  to  two  hundred  dollars  per  ton.  The  richest  of 
these  was  the  "Maston  lode/'  called  after  two  brothers. 

In  this  district  thirty    lodes  of  gold  quartz  were  work- 
ed, ten  of  silver  or  a  combination  of  silver  and  gold,  and 
three  of  copper.  There  has  been  picked  up  in  one  day  in  a 
gulch  at  Pinos  Altos  ores  of  gold,  silver,  lead,  zinc,  mag* 
netic  iron,  and  plumbago. 

Gold  in  quartz  and  fine  placer  gold  have  been  found  on 
the  headwaters  of  the  Rio  de  Las  Animas,  and  placer  gold 
on  nearly  ail  the  steams  tributary  to  the  San  Juan  river, 
also  on  the  Chama  river.  The  country  watered  by  the 
San  Pedro,  Rio  Las  Animas,  Rio  Los  Pinos,  Rio  La 
Plata,  Rio  Dolores,  Rio  Mancos,  Rio  Pedro,  Rio  Nutra, 
San  Juan,  and  Navajo  river,  is  occupied  and  claimed  b}' 
'the  Wemenutche  and  Capote  bands  of  Utahs,  who  refuse 
'to  allow  any  settlers  or  miners  in  their  country.  They 
permitted  me  to  spend  a  month  in  their  country  in  the 
summer  of  1868.  And  twice  since  have  I  visited  that  region 
and  explored  it  to  a  considerable  extent ;  its  scenery,  past- 
oral, agricultural  and  mineral  resources  exceed  any  thing 
I  have  seen  in  any  portion  of  New  Mexico  and  from  my 
observations  I  am  fully  satisfied  that  there  is  not  a  richer 
country  for  the  same  extent  on  this  continent.  If  these 
Indians  could  be  induced  to  go  to  the  agency  on  their  re- 
servation in  Colorado,  northeast  of  the  San  Juan  mount- 
ains, (which  they  refuse  to  do,)  that  country  could  be 
developed,  and  would  sustain  a  large  agricultural,  pas- 
toral and  mining  population. 

placer  mining  was  quite  successful  before  the  war 


—78— 

near  Fort  Stanton,  Lincoln  county.     It  has  been  found  in 
seven  localities  in  the  Sacramento  mountains. 

At  the  "San  Jose  Mines,"  in  the  Sierra  Madre,  gold 
ijunrtz  was  extensively  mined  by  the  Spaniards,  and 
afterwards  by  the  Mexicans,  The  quartz  veins  here  iri.- 
tersect  each  other  in  all  directions,  forming  a  net  work  of 
veins  for  one  mile  in  width  and  three  miles  in  length. 
The  surface  ia  dotted  with  shafts. 

On  the  San  Francisco  river,  west  of  the  Gila,  in  Ari- 
zona, gold,  silver,  copper,  and  quicksilver  have  been 
found ;  gold  prospected  in  the  bed  of  the  stream  from 
one  cent  to  one  dollar  per  pan.  In  1863  I  met  old  Cap- 
tain Walker,  ("the  California  miner,")  with  a  party,  on 
the  Gila  river.  He  had  explored  that  country,  but  was 
driven  out  by  the  Indians.  He  reported  rich  gold  depo- 
sits. I  obtained  specimens  of  the  gold  found  by  his  party 
on  this  stream,  and  which  are  very  fine,  some  of  which 
are  in  the  cabinet  of  tho  General  Land  Office.  This  is 
the  place  where  the  Indians  procured  the  gold  to  make  the 
bullets  which  F.  X.  Aubury  reported  he  fouud  among 
the  Indians,  some  of  which  were  placed  in  the  Smithson- 
ian Institution,  and  others  in  the  mineral  cabinet  of  the 
General  Land  Office.  Gold  placers  are  found  through- 
out the  mountains  at  the  head  of  this  stream,  but  water 
is  scarce. 

On  the  Mimbres  river,  or,  rather,  in  the  vicinity  of 
that  stream,  is  an  extensive  placer.  The  Mexicans  form- 
erly worked  it,  carrying  the  dirt  to  the  water.  A  canal, 
a  few  miles  in  length  at  this  point,  I  believe,  would  deve- 
lop an  extraordinary  rich  gold  deposit. 

Silver  is  the  prominent  and  most  abundant  mineral  of 
these  Territories,  and  the  lodes  ot  silver,  with  its  many 
combinations,  are  the  most  numerous.  I  think  it  will  be 
the  most  profitable  branch  of  mining  in  the  Hocky  mount- 


—79— 

ain  region.  It  would  be  too  tedious  to  specify  the  differ- 
ent localities  where  silver  has  been  found,  as  these  locali- 
ties would  be  numberless,  including  almost  every  mount- 
ain chain  in  the  Territories-  The  principal  districts  known 
nre  the  Placer  mountains,  near  Santa  Fe ;  the  Ute  Creek 
mountains,  near  Maxwell's  ;  the  Organ  mountains  near 
the  Mesilla  valley  ;  the  Arroyo  Hondo  mining  region  in 
Taos  county;  the  San  Juan  Mountains,  specially  at  the 
head  waters  of  Rio  Dolores  and  Rio  La  Plata,  (silver 
river)  which  are  west  on  the  Utah  Indian  reservation,  arc 
extremely  rich  in  silver.  Vast  deposits  of  ''Smithsonite" 
are  found  at  this  point.  The  Organ  mountains  are  ex- 
tremely rich  in  silver.  Over  fifty  mines  have  been  dis-- 
covered,  the  ore  being  generally  argentiferous  galena, 
admitting  of  simple  reduction  by  smelting  the,  mines 
paying  from  $40  to  §200  per  ton. 

The  district  near  Mesilla  valley,  in  the  Organas  mount- 
ains has  a  mean  altitude  of  4,400  feet  and  is  intersected 
with  ravines  affording  most  favorable  opportunities  for 
horizontal  drifts  in  opening  the  veins.  There  is  a  belt  or 
series  of  veins  containing  six  principal  veins  varying  from 
two  to  fifteen  feet  in  width.  On  the  largest  of  these  veins 
is  the  celebrated  "Stephenson  mine."  This  belt  of  veins 
crosses  the  Organas  at  or  near  the  San  Augustine  pass, 
and  both  sides  of  the  chain  of  mountains  present  similar 
features  and  equal  richness. 

The  country  bordering  on  the  north  portion  of  Chihua- 
hua is  a  rich  silver  district.  Just  over  our  line  are  the 
mines  of  "Corralitos,"  the  most  succesful  mines  in  the 
State  of  Chihuahua.  It  has  been  mined  for  nearly  fifty 
years.  Its  productiveness  has  overcome  all  obstacles, 
and  it  has  employed  annually  several  hundred  hands. 

Near  the  old  town  of  El  Paso  tradition  places  the 
locality  of  one  of  the  richest  silver  mines  known  to  the 


—80— 

Spaniards.  Its  site  has  been  lost  since  the  expulsion 
of  the  Jesuits,  It  is  said  that  the  Jesuits  of  Northern 
Mexico,  were  the  last  to  suffer  the  decree  of  expulsion 
and  had  sufficient  notice  of  the  edict  and  carefully  cover- 
ed up  the  traces  of  the  mining.  In  this  way  the  loc- 
alities of  many  of  the  richest  mines  of  New  Mexico  and 
Arizona  have  been  lost. 

West  from   the  Mesilla  valley,  and  the  old  towns   of 
La  Mesilla  and  Las  Cruces,   is  located  Silver  City.     In 
1863  I  visited  its  location,  and  explored  the  region  of  the 
Gila  river ;  at  that  time  there  was  not  a  house  where  now 
stands  the  town.     Now  there  is  a  large  town — many  good 
houses — four    large   two    story  brick  stores,  streets   wide 
and  regular,  numerous  families,  women  and  children.     In 
May  1870  the  mines  were  discovered  here,  and  since  that 
time/the  town  has  sprung  up  and  several  mills  are  now  in 
operation  and  nearly  all  the   houses  have  been  bee;~;  built 
by  the  products  of  the  mines,  and  the  improvements  made 
here,  have  been  paid  for  with  the    silver    taken  from  the 
mines  in  this  locality.      One  year  ago  I  again  visited  that 
locality,  and    obtained  specimens  from  over  sixty  mines 
and  lodss  which  are  in  the  cabinets  of  the   Agricultural 
Department,  the  General    Land    Office  and  the  Smithso- 
nian Institution,  at  Washington.      One   lode  called  "The 
Two  Ikes,"  is   a  curiosity,  being  an  immense  bed  of  slate 
with  horizontal  layers  ,  the  seams   filled  with  silver  of  the 
class   called    "horn."     Between'  the   layers   of  slate  are 
sheets   of  this  "horn    silver"  as  thick  as   tissue  paper.      I 
cannot  attempt  to  describe  the  various  quartz  lodes  in  this 
section — they  are  too   numerous,  and  are  of  two  classes, 
one  suitable  for  smelting,  and  the  other  for  crushing  and 
amalgamation.     There  appears  to  be  a  deficiency  of  lead 
in  the  ore  for  smelting,  which  is  not  the  case  with  the  ores 
from  the  mines  in  Sccorro  county,  and  in  the  Organ  moun* 


tains  of  Dona  Ana  county.  I  have'in  my  cabinet  a  spe- 
cimen of  considerable  size  sent  to  me  by  A.  H.  More* 
head,  Esq.,  of  Dona  Ana  county  and  which  contains  60 
per  cent,  of  lead  and  20  per  cent,  of  Silver,  and  is  abun- 
dant in  that  mountain.  1  quote  the  following  from  the 
report  of  F.  Sturenburg,  metallurgist,  in  reference  to 
Grant' county,  New  Mexico,  as  furnished  to  the  Surveyor 
General  of  New  Mexico  and  included  in  the  report  of  the 
Commissioner  <5f  the  General  Land  Office  for  the  year 
£871,  page '153,  etc: 

"GRANT  COUNTY,    NEW   MEXICO." 

*«The&e  mines,  situate  very  near  to  the  dividin-g  line* 
between  New  Mexico  and  Arizona  and  New  Mexico  and 
Chihuahua,  form  a  direct  link  in  the  great  mineral  belt 
extending  from  Alaska  down  to  Central  America.  It  may 
from  this  fact,  be  assumed  that  the  mineral  veins  are 
most  probably  irue  fissure-veins  ;  another  favorable  indi- 
cation in  this  regard  is  to  be  found  in  the, great  variety 
of  minerals  found  in  this  district,  hardly  any  of  the  use- 
ful or  precious  metals  is  missing  and  all  are  represented 
in  really  marvelously  rich  ores-. 

The  district  proper  -is  encompassed  within  a  circle  of 
about  twelve  miles  diameter,  the  gold,  silver,  and  iron 
mines  of  Pinos  Altos  fbrming  the  center.  Of  these 
mines  I  have  already  given  a  short  description,  which  was 
embodied  in  the  report  of  the  commissioner  on  mines 
for  1870,  and  I  shall  therefore  not  now  refer  to  them. 
Seven  miles  "northeast  thence  lie  the  Hanover  -copper 
mines,  six  miles  east  the  San  Jose  and  Santa  Rita  cop- 
per atid  lead  mines,  and  seven  miles  west  of  the  Silver 
Flats  'and  Chloride  silver  mines.  Toward  the  north  the 
district  has  not  yet  been  explored,  on  account  of  tbfe 
'hostility  of  the  Indians. 


—82— 

Before  entering  into  a  particular  description  of  the- 
several  mines,  I  deem  it  necessary  to  offer  a  few  remarks- 
in  regard  to  the  geological  structure  and  the  formation- 
of  the  country.  The  mountain  range  in  which  these 
mines  are  located  consists  ol  spurs  aad,  branches  of  the 
San  Francisco  and  Mogollon  ranges,  .north.;*  both  attain- 
ing the  snow  altitudes.  These  latter  ranges-  are  still 
terra  incognita,  the  Apache  Indians  preventing  fcfoeir  be- 
ing thoroughly  prospected  $  ^yet  so  much  has  been  as-- 
certained  by  stray  prospecting  parties  that  the  country 
is  extremely  rich  in  miije^als,  principally  gold.  Itywas 
in  this  neighborhood  wheraa  soldier  belonging  to  a  scouts 
ing  party  under  the  command  of  the  renowned  Indian  fight- 
er, Colonel.. Albert  ,  H.  Pfeiifer,  companion  of  the  late 
Kit  Carson,,  was  shot  by  ,an  Indian,  and  when  the  bul- 
let was  extracted  it  was  found  to  be  ol  gold ;  trappers 
and  escaped  Iqdian  prisoners  also  report  that  it  is  a 
general  custom  with  the  warriors  of  the,  Cbyotero-  Apa>- 
ches,  wfcA  Jive  in-  these  regions,  to  ornament;  thei*  belt& 
with  gold  nuggets* 

Besides  gold,  these  ranges  contain  very  rich  copper 
ores.  I  assayed  myself-  a-^  carbonate  of  copper  frx>ci 
San  Francisco  Cano^i  which  gave  $780  per  ton  silver., 

Northeast  of  these  ranges  lie  the:  mountain  chains  in,, 
which  ^he  Corona  del  Pueblo  mines  are  located.  I  in- 
tend visiting  this  district  shortly,  and  shall  give  a  full 
description  thereof. 

To  the  west  of  the  Pinos  A&03  mining  district  lie  the 
Ralston  silver  mines,  and  further  on  the  Apache  .Pass 
gold  mines- 

To  the,  south  there  is  again  .ao  unexplored  mountain 
range,  very  near  or  on  the  Mexican  boundary  line,  Las 
R.qsaritas,  .unquestionably  rich,,  to  judge  .from  the  float- 


—83— 

rock  that  comes  from  thence,  but  inaccessible  on  account 
of  the  redskins,  and  further  south  the  Corralitos  silver 
mines,  at  the  present  time  profitably  worked. 

I  draw  attention  to  the  surroundings  of  these  mines  in 
order  to  show  that  the  district  is  most  favorably  situated 
and  even  if  the  indications  of  violent  volcanic  action  are 
to  be  found  almost  through  the  entire  district,  I  can 
only  come  to  the  conclusion  that  these  eruptions  took 
place  long  after  the  original  formation  of  the  metal- 
bearing  fissure-veins. 

Future  experience  must  prove  the*  correctness  of  these 
supposition,  since  until  now  none  of  :  these-  mines  have 
been  sufficiently  prospected;  yet  not-  only  the  geo- 
graphical position,  but  also  the  general*  character  of  the 
country  rock,  each  point  to  a  true  mineral  formation 
and  fissure-veins. 

Geology  discloses  a  grand  picture  in  these  regions. 
The  immense  blocks  of  fiae-grained  granite,  and  the  nu- 
merous fragments  of  basaltic  rock,  place  the  genesis  of  the 
country  into  the  tertiary  period  ;  but  not  during  that  period 
the  mineral  deposits  were  formed,  because  the  caps  of  the 
veins  carry  rock  of  Silurian  and  Jura  formations.  Before 
any  material  changes  could  have  taken  place,  and  even 
before  nature  had  covered  the  surface  <  with  its  botanical 
ornaments  to  any  extent,  this  solitary  ^  island •  im  the  ante- 
diluvial  sea  was  again  submerged,  (proofs;,  sabsence  of 
fossils  in  the  lower  strata,)  'but  was  resurrected -from  the 
slumber  <below  the  -murmuring  waves  by  the  forcible  and 
violent  power  of  Pliito. 

This  second  geeesis  could  hot  have  taken  place,  but  at 
a  proportionally  late  period,  because  the  plutoni<e> conglo- 
merate breaks  -  through  and  overlies  tbe<  Jurassic  lime- 
rock  numerous  petrifi cations -.in.<  the  latter  stone  of  shell? 


—84— 

and  mollusk  and  argilaceous  sand  are  proofs  of  a  long 
period  of  inundation. 

Neptunic  influence  however,  had  no  considerable  share 
in  the  formation  of  the  present  country ;  sedimentary 
deposits  are  few  to  be  found ;  the  bed-rock  is  encounter- 
ed at  depth  seldom  exceeding  5  to  7  feet. 

That  the  re-elevation  of  the  continent  must  have  been 
sudden  and  violent,  is  proved  by  the  absence  of  the  pec- 
uliar lines  and  streaks  traced  on  the  mountain  sides  of 
the  slowly  receding  waves-;  neither  are  they  to  be  found 
in  the  remarkable  table  rocks  or  pyramids,  generally  en- 
countered in  other  parts  of  New  Mexico,  Where  water 
has  had  sufficient  time  to  trace  its  marks  :  none  of  the 
horizontal  table  mountains,  standing  down  in  straight  lines 
at  angles  of  45°  ;  no  level  plains  of  a  thin  layer  of  a  de- 
composed tufa  underlaid  w?th  coarse  gravel ;  in  fact,  none 
of  these  unmistakable  proofs  of  long  aquatic  action,  such 
as  New  Mexico  most  particularly  offers  in  so  many  in- 
stances. 

Most  probably  at  that  time  the  mineral-bearing  veins 
were  formed,  after  which  t»he  'Country  remained  undis- 
turbed far  a  long  period,  during  which  the  decomposed 
rock,  by  the  air  and  water,  had  time  to  be  washed  over 
the  veins  and  so  cover  them  ;  in  Pinos  Altos  the  main 
lead  from  which  most  of  the  wash-gold  came  has  not 
been  discovered  yet  on  that  account.  During  this  period 
the  continent  must  have  continued  to  be  elevated  but 
slowly  and  imperceptibly,  the  same  as  it  is  rising  yet  this 
very  moment1:  proof  "for  such  is  found  in  the  traditions 
of  the  inhabitants  in  regard  to  rivers  which  are  now  quite 
dry,  to  springs  arnd  wells  having  become  dry.  -and  many 
other  signs  of  decrease  of  surface  waters. 

But 'before  the  country  assumed  its  present  aspect,  it 
had  to  undergo  another  convulsion  ^  volcanic  action  shat- 


—85— 

tered  and  broke  up  some  of  the  veins,  reduced  their  min- 
erals to  a  fiery  fluid  mass,  and  poured  the  same,  with 
lava  and  cinders,  over  the  surface.  Such  is  the  case-  at 
the  Hannover  mine.  Most  of  the  copper  is  found  in  a 
metallic  state,  imbedded  in  scon  i  and  tufa,,  and  only 
traces  of  the  former  vein ,  carrying  mostly  black  sulphur- 
ets,  the  same  as  the  Santa  Rita,  have  remained.  The  Han- 
nover is,  strictly  speaking,  no  vein  lode, .but  a  deposit 
covering  an  area  of  some  three  square  mites.  >  The  same 
must  have  happened* in  Lone  Mountain  and  Chloride  dis- 
tricts, where  the  rich  chlorides  have  filled  up  crevasses 
and  seams.  Pinos  Altos-seems  to  have  escaped  this  diV 
turbance,  since  there  are  no  traces  to  be  found  there  of 
late  volaanic  activity.  It  is,  strictly  speaking,  also  a  dif- 
ferent formation,  since  nowhere  else  iron-stone  appears  in 
such  heavy  masses,  which  also  accounts  for  the  presence 
of  gold,  of  which  there  is  no-trace  to-be  foand  in  the  sur- 
rounding districts. 

Silver  Flat  district  afeo  shows  signs  of 'volcank>  disturb- 
ance, but  very  different  from  the  neighboring  mines. 
Here  a  ferruginous  conglomerate  or  tufa  forms  the  cap  of 
all  the  veins,  in  fact  cavers  the  surface  of  the  entire  dis- 
trict; and  as>  this  district  is  nearest  to  Binos  Altos,  it  is 
probable  that  the  volcanic  hearth  whence  that  cover  of  lava 
was  spread  was  situated  within  tha  iron-  belt  surrounding 
Pinos  Altos. 

As  regards  the  continuity  of  these  mines j-  no  correct 
idea  can  be  formed  as  yet ;  still,  I  am  disposed  to  favor 
this  view  ;  but  I  believe  but  few  of  the  actual  true  fi&sure- 
veins  have  as  yet  been  discovered.  Chloride  district  lies 
at  the  foot  of  higher  mountains-,  which*  have  noS  as  yet  been 
prospected,  on  account  of  the  danger  of  Indians,  but 
these,  in  my  opinion,  are  the  many  ledges  whence  these 
deposits  of  .rich,  chlorides  came. 


—86— 

The  Ralston  mines,  about  sixty  miles  southwest  from 
Silver  Flat,  and  strictly  speaking,  forming  quite  a  se- 
parate district,  show  also  different  formation  and  struc- 
ture. Here  copper  carbonate  tufa,  and  most  probable 
sulphate  copper  further  -below,  forms  the  matrix  of  the 
ore,  and  the  contents  in  silver  are  small.  'None  of  these 
ores  exceeded  $30  per  ton.  On  the  other  hand,  the  district 
offer  advantages  over  the  others  in  the  enormous  masses 
of  ore  it  will  be  able  to  produce,  provided  the  vains  prove 
themselves  to  be  fissure-reins.  Although  apparently 
they  bear  all  indications  of  permanency,  still  I  would  not 
vouch  for  it.  The  volcanic  or  possibly  plutonic  con- 
glomerate in  which  they  run  is  too  unreliable.  There  is 
no  trace  of  syenite  or  trap-rock.  I  consider  it  of  vital 
importance  for  this  district  that  one  of  the  shafts  should 
be  sunk  to  about  50  or  sixty  feet ;  then  only  can  the  true 
character  of  the  formation  be  ascertained. 

After  having  given  a  general  geological  and  geognostic 
outline  of  this  mineral  region,  I  now  propose  to  give  a 
detailed  description  ot  these  districts — Silver  Flat,  Chlo- 
ride, Lone  Mountain  and  Ralston.  Finos  Altos  I  have 
already  described,  as  stated,  and  the  Hanover,  San  Jose, 
and  Santa  Rita  copper  mines  have  been  treated  upon  in 
every-pamphlet  or  report  on  the  mines  of  this  country, 
and  I  particularly  refer  to  the  able  and  correct  report  of 
Messrs.  Owens  and  Cox,  as  contained  in  the  pamphlet 
published  by  Hon.  C.  P.  Clever,  when  Delegate  in  Wash- 
ington. That  report  is  elaborate  :&nd  entirely  reliable, 
and  I  coincide  with  the  complete  persuasion,  in  the  opin- 
ion of  the  gentlemen,  that  the  Hanover  is  the  richest  min- 
eral deposit  ever  discovered  in  New  Mexico. 

SILVER   FTAT   DISTRICT 

is  situate  in  a  low  foot-hill,  embracing  an  area  of  about 


'  two  squnre  miles  ;  a  great  many  claims  are  located  here, 
but  with  veiy  little  .judgment  and  practical  knowledge  ;  in 
most  cases  the r  ferruginous  tuf  ay  selling  tip  crevasses  and 

•  pockets,  was located^aa  a  silver-bearing  lode.  There  are, 
however,  a  few  apparently'good  leads,  although  no  defi- 
nite opinion  can  be  arrived  at,  since  none  of  them  have 
been  sufficiently  opened.  I  examined  myself  the  follow- 
ing, viz  : 

Sample  No.  1. — Robert  E.  *Lee  ;v  vein  not  yet  well  de- 
fined ;  ore  still  mixed  up  with*  ferruginous  cap,-  at  the 
'bottom  of  a  30 -foot  shaft  the ;  gray  ^sulphurete  of  silver 
come  in. 

Sample  N--O.  2.^~LegaI  Tender;  shaft  32  feet  deep ; 
goes  through  the  esp,  and  shows  now  3  feet  of  gray  sul- 
phuret. 

Sample  ''No.  3.— -Turin  No.  2 ;  shaft  only  10  feet  deep  ; 

ope-ned  at  the  side  of  a  steep  hill;  shows   very  light  cap, 

;  and  carries  rich  chlorides.     I- do  not  consider  it  a  vein  as 

yet. 

Sample  No.  »4. —Giant ;  IfO-foot  shaft ;  light  cap  ;  tol- 
erably well -denned  lead;  no  pure  ore  as  yet. 

These  leads  run  all  parallel,  arid  are  separated  by  spaces 
of  50  to  100  feet;  direction  northwest  and  southeast; 
dip  nearly  vertical. 

Sample  No.  5.  —New  Issue  ; ''-5 -foot  shaft ;  shows  wide 
lead  and  rich  ore?  but  cannot  as  yet  be  relied  upon. 

Sample  No.<'-6-. — Minnehaha  ;  20-foot  shaft;  irregular 
ledge,  but  good  ore  ;  light  cap. 

These  two  leads  are  cross  leads,  and  run  almost  due 
west  and  east,  crossing  the  above  four  leads. 

Sample  ;;No.  7. — Last  Chacce  ;  abo-fct  a  mile  off  the 
above  ;  shaft  10-feet ;  wide,  irrregular  ledge  ;  ore  of  very 
reduction ;  chlorides. 


— as— 

Sample  No.  8. — Ecuador;  shaft  five  feet  deep;  n& 
regular  vein  ;  probably  only  a  crevasse  filling. 

Sample  No.  9. — Average  ore-  from  deepest  shaft,  (Le- 
gal Tender,)  and  probably  the  one  which  will  •  predomi- 
nate in  all  leads  i»  this  district.  I  am  inclined  to  believs 
that  a  large  deposit  of  this  kind  -of  ore  will  ba  found  un- 
derlying the  largest  portion  of  this 

CHLORIDE    DISTRICT. 

There  are  also  in  this  district  located  > a,  great-many 
claims, of 'doubtful  nature;  no  shaft  has  as- yet  been  sunk 
exceeding  5  feet,  and  the  mines  are  in  fact  not  prospected 
yet;  .the  character  of  the  ore  is  almost  the  same,  with. -the 
exception  of  the  Green  Mountain  lead,  which  carries  a 
good  deal  of  carbonate  of -copper ;  all  others,  as  Gran 
Tesorero,  Hidden  Treasure,  Seneca,  Gran  Quevira,  Sher- 
man, etc.,  brave,  until  now;  furnished  nothing  but  chlo- 
ride;  all  are  irregular,  and  in  ray  opinion,  crevasse  fill- 
ings ;  the  entire  hill ,  embracing  an  are  of  about  three 
square  miles,  is  literally  covered  with  the  same  ore,  and 
400  to  500  ton&  of  it  could  easily  be  mined. 

Sample  No.  10. — Is  first-class  ore,  two  tons  of  which 
were  reduced  and  produced  at  the  rate  of  about  $160  per 
ton  ;  about  one-sixth  part  of  the  general  ore  is  of  this  class. 

Sample  No*   11. — Average  second  and  third  class  ore.;r 

COPPER 

has  beeo  found  in  almost  every  portion  of  New  Mexico  . 
and  Arizona.  On  the,  Sar>  Fr'anesico  river,  in  JReloncillos» 
range  of  mountain's,  at  the  Nacimiento,  in  the  San  Juan 
Utah  country  ;  in  the  Apache  regions  of  Arizona,  and  in 
great  richness  in  Sierra  Madre.  On  the  spurs  of  the  Sier- 
?a  Madre,  known  a»  the  copper  mountains,  there  is  a  mul- 
tiplicity of  veins.  One  vein  ia  this  mp,uatain  was  traced  , 


-89— 

fey  a  mining  engineer,  riding  over  the  vein  on  horseback 
for  eight  miles.     In  one    place,    at    least,   it  is-  literally, a 
mountain  of  copper,  a    shaft    having    been  sunk  125  tra^, 
verse  of  the  lode>  but  failed  in  determining  its. width.  Tea 
mines  have  been  discovered,  two  have  been  worked.    One  . 
of  these  "The  Santa  Rita  del    Cobre,"   the  title  of  which  ; 
is  derived  from  the  King    of    Spain,    has   beep  mined  at  r 
intervals  for  over  one  hundred  and  thirty  years.  The  other 
'The  Hanover  mine"  has  been  very  extensively  worked  for 
a  few  years  before  the  war  ;  it  was- opened  in  18J>9. 

In  the  abstract  of  the  Census  .Bepqr;t  of  1860,  page  173, 
New  Mexico  is  placed  second  of  all  districts  in  the  value 
of  its  copper  yield,  the  yield  for  th$  year  ending  June  30,, 
1860,  being  640  tons,,  of  the  value  of  $415,000.,  This 
was  the  product  of  the  two  mines  before  mentioned.  This 
copper  district  is  surrounded  by, every  facility  for  success- 
ful mining.  There  is  a  sufficiency  of  water,  an  abundance 
of  timber — pine,  oak,  cedar  and  piupn — while  to  the  south 
the  plains  present  as  fine  pasturage  as  exists  in  the  United 
States,  In  the  same  range  of  mountains  are  found  many 
other  precious  and  useful,  metals ;  w.hile  at  a  convenient 
distance  are  large  and  fertile  valleys,  which  can  furnish, 
the  supplies  of  flour  and  grain  necessary  for  the  operatives. 
The  copper  is  of  peculiar  richness,  the  ore  averaging  35  , 
per  cent,  of  copper,  while  the  metal  is  offeen  found  pure  ; 
the  veins  are  wide,  easily  worked,  the  ore  loose  and  easily 
mined,  and  theje  is  no  alloy,  and  the  reduction  of  the  ore 
is  a  simple  smelt.  The  copper  on  reaching  market  com- 
manded the  highest  price,  from  the  fact  that  it  is  the  most 
maleable  and  ductile, copper  known  to  commerce. 

In  1860  the  cost  of  mining  a  pound  of  ore  was  about  r 
eight  cents,  cost  of  freight  to  European  markgt  ten  cents 
profit  four  or  five  cents  a  pound  and  exchange. 

Peace,  that  is  a  substantial  peace  with  the   Indians  such.; 


—90— 

as 'President  Grant  is  now  inagurating  woiild  probably 
Teduce  the  cost  of  mining  a  pound  of  orei  to  five  cents, 
and  a  railroad  to  the  Missouri  river  and  the  eastern  cities 
would  reduce  freight  to  Europe  to  seven  cents,  leaving  an 
•extraordinary  margin  of  prdGt. 

The  Hanover  and  Santa  ;Rita  mines  at  the  commence- 
ment of  the  rebellion  were  yielding  several  tons  of  copper 
per  week,  and  employed  about  five  hundred  hands.  At 
the  commencement  of  the  war  the  rebels  obtained  some 
300,000  pounds  of  copper  from  the  mines,  which  was  at 
Port  Lavaca  awaiting  shipment  or  in  transitu.  They 
established  two  cannon  foundries  with  capacity,  it  is  said, 
of  two  pieces  per  week.  They  confiscated  that  which 
belonged  to  the  owners,  who  were  loya!rto:the  'CFnion, 
and  paid  twenty-seven  cents  per  pound  for  the  portion 
which  belonged  to  friends  of  the  Confederate  Govern- 
'  ment. 

The  abandonment  of  the  Federal  posts  on  the  frontiers 
led  to  the  most  immediate  abandonment  of  the  copper 
mines.  The  Indians  murdered  many  of  the  employes, 
the  machinery  was  stolen  or  destroyed,  and  most  complete 
devastation  effected. 

Iron  Ore  has  been  found  in  various  forms  in  gulches  of 
the  eastern  slopes  of  the  Sierra  Madre,  at  the  Placer 
mountains,  Raton  Range,  Pinos  Altos,  San  Jose,  and 
the  copper  mines,. 

Lead  is  found  in  almost  every  combination.  A  remark- 
able vein  is:  found  at  the  foot  of  the  Sierra  de  los  Cobres, 
three'  feet  wide,  of  nearly  pure  lead.  The  Indians  have 
for  tf  long  time  obtained  their  supplies  of  lead  from  this 
vein,-  smelting  it  in  the  vicinity.  The  ore  contains  a  small 
portion  6f  eilver.  A.  similar  vein  of  lead,  about  five  feet 
•Li -width,  is  located  west  of  the  Utah  reservation,  on-the 


Rio  Dolores.  These  Indians  believe  it  to  be  silver  ,;*but  I 
am  satisfied  that  it  is  almost  pure  lead. 

Salt  occurs  in  many  places  in  New  Mexico  ait'd^ Ari- 
zona, often  mixed  with  alkali — and  also  pure  io  lakes. 
One  vein  is  in  the  neighborhood  of  Fort  Stanton.  The 
evaporation  in  the  salt  lakes  makes  ^an  annual  deposit  of 
salt  several  inches  in  thickness,  coarse,  strong,  aiM  of  the 
best  quality.  It  has  often  been  taken  to  the  city  of 
Chihuahua  for  sale,  as-the  salt  of  that  State  is5  inferior, 
being  rrtixed  with  alkali.  The  principal  lakes  fere  in  the 
valley  between  the  Organos  and  Sacramento  mountains  ; 
one  lake  on  the  Texas  line,  and  the  best  one  sixty  miles 
northward. 

Goat  has  been  foudd  in  various  parts  of  the  Territory 
•a&d  in  considerable  quantities  and  of  good  quality.  As 
to  quality,  &c.,  see  report  of  Professor  F.  V.  Hayden, 
United  States  Geologist,  page  123. 

MINERALS    AND   SHINES . 

Minerals  of  any  kind  occuring  along  the'iines  of  rail- 
roads must  obviously  -attract  more  attention  and  possess  a 
greater  relative  value,  than  those  found  at  a  greater  dis- 
tance from  the  lines  of  through  'traffic.  It  is  a  notewor- 
thy fact,  that  a  number  of  the  richest  mineral  districts  of 
New  Mexico  are  situated  upon  the  most  practicable  routes 
for  the  main  lines  of  railways  that  are  rapidly  approach- 
ing this  Territory.  This  is  particularly  the  case  with  the 
Pyramid  Range  District,  situated  in  the  southwestern  por- 
tion of  New  Mexico,  on  the  line  of  the  Texas  Pacific 
Railroad,  and  with  that  rich  storehouse  of  various  classes 
of  minerals  embraced  by  Los  Gerillos,  the  valley  of  the 
Galiateo,  the  Old  and  New  Placer  mountains  and  the  San- 
dia  mountains. 

.The  Pyramid  Range  District  received  a   fearful 


—92— 

^ 

soon  after  its  discovery  from  the  attempt  made  by  Oalf- 
fornia  speculator  to  rush  thousands  of  feet  of  lodes  upon 
the  market,  which  were  entirely  unexplored  and  to  which 
they  had  no  title  whatever.  However,  enough  has  been 
done  in  this  district  to  prove  beyond  a  doubt  the  existence 
of  mines  of  great  richness  and  extent..  With  the  railroad 
passing  immediately  by  these  mines,  it  is  safe  to  say  that 
there  are  few  if  any  places  in  the  world  where  larger  re- 
turns can  be  derived  upon  tha  capital  necessary  to  their 
proper  working. 

The  second  region  spoken  of  above  lies  in  the  countres 
of  Santa  Fe  and  Bernaliilo  and  is  traversed  by  the  line  or 
the  Atlantic  and  Pacific  railroad  as  located. 

The  description  of  the  following  mines  situated  in  Los 
Gerrillos,  at  a  distance  of  from  one  to  three  miles  from 
the  railroad  line,  I  take  from  Professor  Raymonds  report 
for  1870.  The  investigations  were  made  by  Professor 
Bruckner,  a  metallurgist  and  mining  engineer  of  wide 
repute. 

•'  SANTA  ROSA,  discovered  forty  years  ago  by  Alvara- 
do,  is  situated  in  a  small  valley  surrounded  by  hills.  The 
inclined  shaft  50  feet  deep,  but  mostly  caved  in.  The 
lode  is  six  feet  wide,  strikes  north  23°  East  and  dips  80° 
northwest.  The  walls  are  granite  and  encase  argentifer- 
ous .galena,  zincblend,  iron  and -copper,  pyrites  ia  a  gan- 
gue  of  hard  quartz," 

Since  the  above  report  this  mine  has  been  reopened  t>y 
a  verticl  shaft,  and-theoreis  being  reduced  in  a  furnace 
situated  upon  the  Galisteo.  The  bullion  thus  fat  pro- 
duced has  averaged  41 65  50  per  ton  in  silver. 

Mina  Ruclena. — The  lode  consists  of  two  layers  on  the 
surface,  one  of  whieh  is  thf.ee  feet,  the  other  one  foot  wid6 
It  crosses  the  stratification  of  the  country  rock,  (granite) 
strikes  north  15°  east,-  and  dips  80°-  south-west.  The  ore 


•—93— 

•  consists  of  galena,  zincblende,  iron  and  copper  pyrites^ 
and  the  products  of  decomposition  of  these  ores,  all  in  a 
gangue  of  quartz  and  partly  decomposed  feldspar.  The 
inclined  shaft  on  this  vein  is  120  feet  deep. 

Mina  del  Tiro  is  situate  on  the  east  side  of  the  Cerrillos 
in  the  Canada  de  las  Minas.  An  incline  150  feet  and  a 
vertical  shaft  100  feet  deep,  connect  with  extensive  mon- 
tones  (drifts)  of  over  300  feet  in  length  and  with  many 
chambers.  All  are  filled  with  water.  The  remains  of  an  old 
canoe  which  was  used  for  crossing  water  in  the  mine,  are 
still  there.  These  excavations  were  made  by  the  Jesuits,* 
probably  before  1680,  and  the  expense  has  been  estimat- 
ed at  $100,000.  Silver  ore  is  visible  in  large  quantities. 
It  consists  of  the  same  minerals  as  described  in  the  above 
named  mines,  but  zinc-blende  is  so  predominant  that  the 
ore  was  found  refractory  in  smelting.  The  proper  way 
to  work  it  would  be  by  chloridizing,  roasting  and  amalga- 
mation. Salt  for  this  purpose  can  be  had  in  large  quan- 
titiesat  the  salt  lakes  south  of  Santa  Fe. 

Many  other  mines  and  silver  lodes  were  visited,  but  the 
former  were  too  much  caved  in,  the  latter  too  little  open- 
ed to  admit  of  anything  like  reliable  description.  It  may  be 
mentioned,  however,  in  this  connection,  that  an  assay  of 
a  specimen  of  very  coars-e  galena  from  the  last  mentioned 
veins  gave  a  result  of  76  per  cent,  of  lead,  and  $42  75 

silver  per  ton. 

Professor  Raymond,  in  speaking  of  this  locality  says  : 
"The  Cerrillos,  17  miles  southwest  of  Santa  Fe,  contain 
many  silver  bearing  lodes,  which  have  never  been  de- 
scribed, although  they  are  well  worth  it.  They  are  situate 
on  an  old  Spanish  grant  belonging  to  the  Baca  y  Delgado 
family. f  The  Cerrillos  are  a  series  of  low  undulating 

— *This  by  history  should  be  the  Franciscan  Friars  and  not 
the  Jesuits. 

— fThis  grant  has  since  been  surveyed  as  public  lands  and  sold  by 
govornmect,  to  citizeas  who  are  now  working  the  mines. 


—94— 

hills,  about  six  ni+les  long  and  three  miles  wide,  and 
gist  mostly  of  granite  rocks>  ;a  few  of  them  of  volcanic 
origin.  From  a  cone  made -up  nf  bassaltic  lava  near 
Martin's  ranch,  a  splendid  view  of  the  Old  and  New  Pla- 
cer Mountains  in  the  southeast,  the  Bernalillo  in  the 
southwest,  Santa  Fein  th©  north,  and  Jemez  Range  in 
the  west,  is  spread  before  the  visitor,  <fec." 

Profess&r-Rraymond  says -of  the  Socorro  county  mines  : 

' 'The  M a dalena  Mountains  are  situate  about  thirty 
miles  west  of  Socorro,  a  town  on  the  Rio  Grande  del 
Norte,  and  bne  hundred  and  forty  three  south  of  Santa 
Fe.  Thrae  years  ago  a  California  miner  found  a  very 
rich  piece-  of  silver  ore  in  these  mountains,  .and  subse- 
quent prospecting  expeditions  resulted  in  the  discovery  of 
many  lodes,  most  of  them  small,  but  rich  in  copper  and- 
silver.  A  specimen  yielded,  by  assav,  $100  00  silver  per 
ton  ;  others  are  reported  to  have  assayed  as  high  as  $500. 

The  Santa  Juliana  lode  is    said  to   be- a. very  large  ga- 
lena lode,  which  carries   $9    per   ton  in  silver.     Most  of 
the  veins  have   been  but  very  imperfectly  opened,  aa  will 
be^seen  from  the  following  description  of  the  region: 

The  Madalena  Mountain  range  rises  abruptly  from  the 
plains  to  a  height  of  over  2,000  feet.  It  extends  about 
forty  miles  in  a  north  and  south  direction,  and  is  on  the 
average  three  or  four  miles  wide.  The  principal  rocks 
constituting  it  are  limestones  and  metamorphosed  sand- 
stones. The  mineral-bearing  veins  are  found  on  the 
summit  and  along  the  western  slope  of  the  range,  the 
greatest  number  being  locatad  on  its  northern  end.  Some 
ef  the  canons  along  the  sides  of  the  mountain  contain 
placer  gold,  but  the  quantity  is  insufficient  .  for 
profitable  working. 

The,  Washington  lode  is  located  at  the  •  summit  t)f  the  • 
range  near  its    northern  end,J,and  forms  the>  crest  for  a 


— D5-. 

considerable  distance.     It  strikes    northwest  and  soutii- 
east,  and  dips  about  35°  to  the  southwest.     It   is  large 
and  well    defined  and    carries    copper,   lead,   silver  and 
gold  ores.     The  first  named  is  predominant.  The    open-r- 
ings, so  far,  are  inconsiderable,  the    deepest  shaft  being- 
less  than  30  feet. 

The  Chavez,:  south  of  the  Washington,  on  th&.8utn*, 
mit  of  the  ranger.  has  nearly  the  same  strike  and  dip,., 
and  appears  to  be  its  extension.  It  is  a  contact  vein. 
between  the  limestone  and  sandstone,  and  .carries  the 
same  ores  as  the  Washington  ;  the  lead  ores^.  however,, 
predominate. 

The  Santa  Ji&i&na,  at  the  base  of -vth«  western  slope 
of  the  mountain,  has  the  same,  strike  and  dip  as  th© 
Chavez.  It  is  a  ,  very  large  vein,  .from  10  to  20  feet 
wide,  and  has  been  traced  on  the  surface  for  a  very  long 
distance.  It  contains,  principally,  carbonates  of  lead  ; 
besides  this,  copper?  .silver,  gold.  The  gangue  is  im- 
pregnated throughout  with  mineral  -,  .^and  the  vein  is  un- 
doubtedly capable  of  producing  .  extraordinarily  large . 
amounts-rof  ore  when  properly  opened.  Good  pine  tim- 
ber aad  plenty  of  water  are  close  at  hand  on  every  side 
and  the  adjacent  plains  are  covered  with  a  luxuriant 
growth  of  gramma  grass. 

The  HMell  is  located  in  a  small  range  of  low,  grassy 
hills,  about  seven  miles  northwest  of  the.  Santa  Juliana. 
It  strikes  northwest  and  southeast,  and  stands  nearly  ver- 
tical. The  vein  is  small,  but  its  very  straight  course  can 
be  traced  on  the  surface  far  a  longdistance.  The  ores 
seem  to  be  formed  by  the  decomposition  of  fahlerz,  and 
•consist  of  carbonates  of  copper,  chloride,  of  .silver,  &c. 
They  are  very  rich." 

The  occurrence  of  anthracite  coal   in  workable  beds  in-; 
&he  westera  Territories  near  the  gold  and  silver  districts 


-96— 

Is  of  such  great  importarl'ce 'that  a  shtfft  description  of  the 
anthracite  mines  between  the  Old  Placer  mountains  and 
the  Cerillos,  occurring  as  they  do,  in  connection  with  car- 
bonate of  iron  and  hematite,  and  having  numerous  veins 
of  rich  magnetic  iron  ore,  within  a  few  miles  of  them, 
cannot  fail  to  command  the  attention  of  the  intelligent 
reader.  The  out-croppings  of  coal  in  the  district  refer- 
red to  were 'first  exposed  in  the  Center  of  the  little  branch- 
es that  run 'into  the  Galisleo.  The  first  one  is  about  four 
miles  south  of  the  Galisteo.  The  following  section  of  the 
strata  was  taken  ascending  : 

1.  Laminated  clay,  with  thin    seams  of  sand  passing 
Up  into  carbonaceous  clay  as  a  floor  for  coal. 

2.  Anthracite  5  to  6  feet. 

3.  Drab  clay,  indurated,  15  to  29  feet. 

4.  Ferruginous  sandstone,    passing    up    into   a  light 
grayish  sandstone  30  to  50  feet. 

The  mine  is  opened  by  a  tunnel  90  feet  in  length  ;  the 
dip  is  15°  to  the  east ;  this  coal  contains  88  per  cent,  of 
fixed  carbon.  In  another  locality  the  coal  is  opened  by 
three  tunnels,  two  twenty-five  feet  long  and  one  forty  feet 
long,  and  has  a  thickness  of  four  feet  of  anthracite.  The 
coal  from  this  mine  contains  87.5  per  cent,  of  fixed  car- 
bon, and  when  burning  shows  only  the  short  blue  flame 
of  carbonic  o'xide.  This  coal  has  been  in  use  in  driving 
the  engine  of  the  Ne"w  Mexico  Mining  Company's  stamp 
mill.  A  hundred  pounds  brought  to  Santa  Fe  was  used 
by  Mr.  Bruckner  in  his  assaying  furnace,  in  order  to  test 
the  heating  power  practically.  He  found  that  a  white 
feeat  was  reached  in  a  very  short  time,  and  that  this  heat 
lasted  about  three  times  as  long  as  that  produced  by  an 
equal  weight  of  charcoal.  As  the  material  does  not  coke 
ki  the  least,  it  is  evident  from  this  test  that  it  is  perfectly 
adapted  to  use  in  blast  -fur-Races,  though  i-t  will  require  a 


—97— 

higher  pressure  of  blast  on  account  of  its  density,  than 
charcoal  or  coke.  As  far  as  its  application  for  all  prac- 
tical purposes  is  concerned,  it  is  undoubtedly  fully  equal 
to  Pennsylvania  anthracite  and  really  the  best  fuel  discov- 
ered so  far  in  the  West. 

Between  these  two  mines  exists  a  bed  of  excellent  fire- 
clay. It  has  been  thoroughly  tested  and  proved  to  be 
fully  adapted  as  fire-proof  material  for  furnaces. 

Coal  banks  have  been  opened  at  a  number  of  points 
to  the  north  of  the  above  mines  and  the  proof  is  conclu- 
sive that  it  exists  in  large  quantities.  Between  the  clay 
and  the  following  sandstone  stratum  beds  of  iron  ore  are 
found.  Both  carbonate  and  hematite  are  present.  Ores 
of  this  kind,  as  well  as  veins  of  magnetic  iron  of  great 
purity  abound  in  this  vicinity. 

The  existense  of  mines  of  gold  and  silver,  of  lead,  zinc, 
copper  and  antimony,  and  of  the  different  ores  of  iron 
in  almost  immediate  connection  with  deposits  of  anthra- 
cite coal,  snd  fireproof  material,  indicates  at  once  the 
valleys  of  the  Galisteo  and  Santa  Fe,  as  points  which  have 
all  the  natural  requirements  to  guarantee  the  erection 
upon  a  large  scale  of  metallurgical  works  and  machine 
shops  for  railroads,  etc. 

Saltpeter  is  very  common  but  rarely  pure.  At  one 
place  near  the  Mexican  line  it  is  found  pure  near  a 
spring  where  regular  deposits  are  made  upon  the  clay 
from  which  it  is  gathered  in  considerable  quantities  by 
the  Mexicans.  The  State  Government  of  Chihuahua  re- 
gulates by  law  its  collection  and  prohibits  its  exportation. 

Gypsum  beds  are  very  common,  and  this  valuable  fer- 
tilizer abounds  in  many  portions  of  this  country.  The 
natives  never  manure  their  lands,  and  the  only  use  they 
make  of  gypsum  is  to  burn  it  and  use  in  place  of  lime. 

Plumbago  has  been  found  in  many  localities. 


—98— 

Zinc,  in  the  Sierra  Madre,  Sandia  mountains,  and  ir: 
San  Juan  country. 

Quicksilver,  virgin  and  e'nabar,  on  the  San  Francisco- 
river.  Old  Spanish  books  give  "theMogollon  mountains 
as  the  place  csnabar  is  found." 

MINERAL  SPRINGS 

and  hot  springs  are  found  in  almost  every  portion  of  this 
country.  On  the  San  Juan  river,  near  the  eartern  line 
of  the  Utah  reservation,  is  the,  Pagosa  Springs;  the 
main  spring  1  measured  and  found  k  to  be  160  yards 
in  circumference,  its  depth,  I  had  no  means  of  ascertain- 
ing. The  water  was  so  hot  that  it  cooked  meat  in  a  few 
minutes.  Similar  springs  are  at  Las  Vegas,  near  Taos, 
Ojo  Caliente,  Jemez,  near  Farts,  MxiKae  and  Selden  ; 
on  the  estate  of  "the  United  States  land  and  improve- 
ment company/'  is  located  the  famous  hot  spring  del 
Caballo  or  Ojos  Calientes,  (see  page  20  of  this  pamphlet.) 
In  Socorro  county  near  the  to\vn  of  Socorro  is  situated 
a  valuable,  mineral  spring;  also  near  the  Mimbres  river 
and  at  various  other  points,  The  curative  qualitities  of 
these  springs  have  long  been  known,  and  they  will  not  fail 
to  become  places  of  general  resort  when  a  railroad  shall 
furnish  facilities  for  reaching  them. 

In  the  eouutry  watered  by  the  San  Juan  river  and 
Colorado  Chiquito,  are  found  great  quantities  and  of 
various  sizes  of  bqautiful  garnets,  also  a  stone  resemb- 
ling the  emerald.  Moss  agate,  and  various  curipus  and 
interesting  petrefactions,  are  found  west  of.  the  Rio 
Grande  river.  But  in  my  judgment  they  are  of  but 
littlje  value,  and  nothing  that  I  have  seen  will  in  my 
opinion  justify  "the  diamond  excitement,"  aad  the  ex- 
pense of  a  search  for  precious  stone  in  that  region , 
specimens  of  these  stones  I  have  in  my  cabinet,  but 
I  do  not  believe,  them  to  be  of  much  value. 


Further  details  as  to  the  locality  of  mines  and  min- 
eral deposits,  &c.,  in  this  Territory,  would  probably 
be  tedious,  while  to  a  few  it  would  be  interesting.  I 
therefore  conclude  this  branch  of  the  resources  of  our 
Eocky  Mountain  country,  and  give  my  atention  briefly 
to  the  subject  of  agriculture  and  manufactures  which  isr 
of  very  great  interest  to  our  people. 

AGRICULTURE  &c. 

In  the  foregoing  pages  we  have  shown  that  the  arable 
land  of  a  large  portion  of  this  country  is  admirably 
adapted  to  agriculture  and  to  the  culture  of  the  grape. 
This  is  especially  true  of  the  valleys  of  the  Rio  Grande. 
Those  experienced  in  the  cultivation  of  the' vine  represent 
that  all  the  conditions  of  the  soil — humidity  and  tempera- 
ture— are  united  in  these  regions  to  produce  the7  grape  in 
the  greatest  perfection.  The  soil,  composed  of  the 
disintegrated  matter  of  the  older  rock*  and .  volcanic- 
ashes,  is  light,  porous,  and  rich.  The  frosts  in  the 
winter  are  just  sufficiently  severe  to  destroy  the  insects 
without  injuring  the;  plant,  and  the  rain  seldom  falls  in 
the  season  when  the  pl&n&<  is  flowering,  or  when  the  fruit 
is  coming  into,  maturity,  and  liable  to  rot  from  exposure 
to  humidity.  As  a  consequence  of  these  condition  of 
things  the  frftit,  when  ripe,  has  a  thin  skin,  scarsely  any 
pulp,  and  is  devoid  of  the  musky  taste  usual  with  Amer- 
ican grapes. 

Mr.  William  who  was  sent  to  this  country  as  an  agent 
of  the  Interior  Department  to  investigate  the  grape  and 
procure  seeds  and  cutting  styles  this  country  "the  Eden 
of  the  Grape,"  and  speaks  as  follows  of  the  yield  in  the 
El  Paso  valley,  where  it  has  been  cultivated  for  more 
than  one  hundred  years.  He  says:  "The  estimate  is 
from  two  hundred  and  fifty  to  three  hundred  gallons  of 


—100— 

wine  to  the  acre,  but  with  American  skill  in  the  man- 
agement of  the  vineyards,  and  American  appliances  in 
making  wine,  the  product  muat  be  more  than  doubled." 

This  district  of  country  grows  many  varieties  of  fruits 
although  no  attention  has  been  paid  of  scientific  character. 
Apples,  peaches,  pears,  quinces,  and  apricots  produce 
well,  and  all  sorts  of  vegetables  can  be  cultivated. 

It  is  equally  well  adapted  to  the  culture  of  grain, 
though  in  this,  as  well  as  in  all  other  branches  of  agricul- 
ture, no  science  is  manifested  by  the  natives  ;  they  are  in 
this  respect  a  hundred  years  behind  age  and  tenaciously 
adhere  t<>  old  customs  and  prejudices,  and  have  not 
adopted  the  modern  improvements.  They  scarsely  ever 
fence  their  lands,  herding  their  stock  instead  of  protecting 
their  fields ;  know  but  little  about  rotation  of  crops  ;  plow 
with  oxen,  the  yoke  fastened  to  the  horns,  and  a  wooden 
plow  attached  of  the  time  of  Joseph.  American  farmers 
would  double  the  yield  of  these  rich  valleys.  Even  under 
the  rude  culture  that  the  natives  bestow  the  crops  are  fine 
The  favorite  variety  of  wheat  was  brought  from  Sonora  ; 
it  is  a  white,  plump,  small  grain,  beardless  and  short 
etalk,  weighing  about  sixty-eight  pounds  to  the  bushel, 
and  makes  a  beautiful  flour.  Samples  of  this  wheat  I 
have  in  my  office  from  various  localities  in  New  Mexico 
which  demonstrate  this  to  be  as  good  a  country  for  the 
production  of  wheat  as  any  portion  of  this  continent. 

Corn  is  raised  to  some  extent — barley,  oats  sorghum, 
and  broom  corn  have  lately  been  introduced,  and  do  well. 

Potatoes  do  not  grow  in  the  Rio  Grande  valley,  but 
fine  crops  are  raised  in  the  mountain  volleys. 

Beans  do  well  ;  they  are  to  the  native  what  the  potato- 
is  to  the  Irish.  The  valley  of  the  Rio  Grande  produces 
the  finest  onions,  a  well  attended  crop  will  often  produce 
a  pound  to  the  onion. 


—  101— 

The  .  report  of  the  commisioner  of  the  General  Land 
Office,  page  53,  for  1868,  says : 

Grass  abounds  in  every  portion  of  this  territory,  and 
even  in  the  forests  grows  luxuriantly  the  entire  year.  At 
great  altitudes  this  grass  is  in  winter-time  covered  with 
anow,  though  not  deadened  to  the  ground,  for,  as  soon  as 
the  snow  melts,  it  affords  excellent  grazing  upon  the 
mesas,  (table  lands,)  and  through  the  valleys  grows  the 
justly  celebrated  gramma  grass,  which  is  cured  as  it 
stands,  afford  abundant  food  for  flocks  and  herds  through- 
out the  winter.  ******* 

The  facilities  and  cheapness  of  raising  sheep  and  goats 
applies  equally  well  to  the  raising  of  horses  and  cattle, 
and,  when  fully  protected  from  Indian  depredations,  and 
convenient  transportation  is  afforded  to  the'markets  of  the 
east  by  the  construction  of  railroads,  the  hills  and  mount- 
ains will  be  literally  covered  with  flocks  and  herds. 

Professor  Hayden  in  his  report  for  1870  says  : 

"  WESTERN   NEW   MEXICO.  " 

ct  Although  this  is  not  embraced  in  the  Rio  Grande 
district,  it  is  perhaps  best  to  add  here  wjiat  few  items  I 
laave  obtained  in  in  regard  to  its  agricultural  capacity. 

The  Rio  San  Juan,  a  tributary  of  the  Colorado  of  the 
West,  although  rising  in  the  San  Juan  Mountains  of  Col- 
orado Territory,  bends  south  and  traverses  the  northwest 
portion  of  New  Mexico,  where  it  receives  a  number  of 
affluents..  Colonel  McClure  and  Governor  Arny  inform 
m«  that  these  valleys  afford  a  considerable  breadth  o£ 
very  rich  land,  which  can  be  irrigated,  snd  which  will  pro- 
duce fine  crops  of  the  cerieals,  vegetables,  and- fruits  usu- 
ally grown  in  the  Middle  States.  As  this-  area  appears 
to  be  almost,  if  not  entirely,  unoccupied,  it  would  present 
a  good  point  for  a  colony." 


—102— 

The  foregoing  extract  from  the  report  of  Professor  Hay- 
den  is  in  reference  to  a  section  of  country  on  which  to-day 
(Jan.  15th  1873)  there  is  probably  not  a  white  man,tiit 
embraces  an  area  of  ninety  miles  long  and  about  sixty 
miles  wide  (which  includes  a  large  extent  of  public  land) 
and  is  claimed  by  insignificant  bands  of  Weminutche 
and  Capote  Indians  who  number  only — Capotes  365  and 
Wsmenutches  650;  total  1015,  men,  women  and  childre.1 
(according  to  the  report  of  the  commissioner  of  Indian 
Affairs  for  the  year  1871),  and  who  claim  nearly  thirty- 
five  millions  of  acres  of  land  -,  these  Indians  are  roaming  off 
their  reservation  and  are  preventing  the  settlement  of  the 
government  lands  contiguous  to  it.  I  allude  here  only  to 
the  south  half  of  the  Ute  reservation  which  is  the  portion 
south  of  the  Uncornpagre  mountains,  and  the  government 
lands  adjoining  to  that  reservation,  all  of  which  are 
claimed  by  these  Utes.  By  the  treaty  of  March  1868,  the 
Wemenutches  and  Capotes  are  entitled  to  over  twenty 
thousand  acres  of  land  for  each  head  of  a  family  !  !  !  ! ! — 
with  this  they  are  not  satisfied,  but  claim  the  government 
lands  adjoining  thereto.  Let  it  be  remembered  that  this 
is  in  the  southwest  corner  of  Colorado  and  in  the  north- 
east corner  of  New  Mexico,  and  these  Indians  interfere 
with  nothing  east  of  the  Rio  Grande,  and  south  of  the 
Guinea  Pass  ;  thousands  of  acres  of  land  almost  a  hun- 
dred miles  northwest  of  Santa  Fe,  remain  unoccupied  and 
its  vast  agricultural,  pastoral  and  mineral  resources  re- 
main unpossessed  and  a  benefit  to  no  person  because  a 
few  Ute  Indians  make  claim  to  land  that  does  not  belong 
to  them,  and  which  they  do  not  occupy. 

Last  spring  a  company  was  organized  composed  of 
persons  from  Europe  and  citizens  of  New  Mexico  and  named 
"THE  FRONTIER  COLONIZATION  COMPANY,"  whose  ben- 
evolent object  was  to  place  upon  lands  in  this  San  Juan 


—103— 

region  several  thousand  poor  families  from  Europe  and 
the  eastern  States  who  are  now  homeless,  and  for  this 
purpose  the  company  proposed  to  purchase  from  the  gov- 
ernment, a  portion  of  the  land  of  this  paradise  of  Amer- 
ica, situated  over  a  hundred  miles  northwest  of  Santa 
Fe,  and  located  where  the  Territories  of  Utah,  Colorado, 
Arizona  and  New  Mexico  corner  with  each  other.  But 
"the  dog  in  the  manger"  policy  of  the  Indians  prevented 
it. 

This  region,  the  Italy  of  the  United  States,  will  some 
day  be  opened  for  settlement,  it  cannot  be  otherwise,  and 
the  Indians,  unless  they  are  compelled  to  remain  on  their 
reservation  and  induced  to  sell  their  unoccupied  lands,  will 
by  the  advancement  of  immigration  be  deprived  of  the 
lands  they  are  entitled  to  by  treaty,  and  receive  nothing  for 
it,  they  will  become  more  impoverished  than  they  are  at 
present,  unless  the  government  compel  them  to  remain  on 
their  reservation,  and  quit  their  interference  with  settlers 
on  the  government  lands.  The  mines  that  have  been  dis- 
covered on  the  head  waters  of  the  Rio  de  Las  Animas,  on 
said  reservation,  and  over  ninety  miles  from  where  the 
Frontier.  Colonization  company  proposed  to  locate  their 
colony,  have  been  taken  by  miners,  and  claims  located, 
and  unless  the  government  interferes  to  arrange  for  the 
working  of  those  mines  by  purchase  of  the  land  from  the 
Indians  ;  the  miners  will  insist  upon  holding  their  claims 
and  the  Indians  who  are  now  paupers  with  hundreds  of 
thousands  of  acres  of  land  will  then  be  unavoidably  pauper* 
without  land,  and  dependent  upon  the  government  or  rob- 
bers stealing  from  whom  they  can,  Without  the  wise 
intervention  of  the  government  the  Indians,  citizens  and 
miners  will  be  involved  in  trouble.  I,  however  thank 
kind  Providence,  that  this  may  only  be  the  case  with  the 
Utes  in  the  northwest  corner  of  New  Mexico,  while  all 


—104— 

the  rest  of  the  vast  and  valuable  territory  of  New  Mexico 
will  be  free  from  the  Indians;  and  even  this  portion  will^ 
I  trust,  be  opened  by  the  prompt  action  of  the  govern- 
ment, and  these  Utes  be  compelled  to  remain  on  their 
own  land,  as  may  be  determined  by  agreement,  so  that 
the  land  that  is  of  no  use  to  them  may  be  made  available 
by  purchase  and  arrangements  for  settlement,  the  proceeds 
to  be  expended  by  the  government  for  '-the  civilizing., 
christianizing  and  making  self  sustaining"  the  Indians  o£ 
that  region,  this  will  be  just  and  humane  and  result  in 
opening  a  section  of  country  of  great  extent  and  value., 
make  self-sustaining  the  few  Indians  who  are  now  apeet 
to  the  settlements  in  New  Mexico,  and  an  expense  to  the 
government  and  furnish  homes  to  thousands  of  homeless- 
families  who  are  now  living  in  poverty,  and  at  the  same 
time  increase  the  revenues  of  the  government. 

Professor  Hayden  further  says,  page  208  of-his  report :. 

"The  upper  tributaries  of  the  Puereo  of  the  West,  a« 
branch  of  Flax  River,  are  flanked  by  narrow  belts  of  ara- 
ble lands,  but  as  the  water  of  this  river  sinks  as  it  des- 
cends, it  cannot  be  relied  on  for  irrigating  purposes.  But 
near  the  mountains  here,  as  alo»g  the  headwaters  of  the 
Zuni,  crops  ma^  be  raised  without  irrigation,  as  the  sup- 
ply of  rain  is  said  to  be  generally  sufficient  for  this  pur- 
pose. Even  around  Zuni,  where  an  ample  supply  of  wa- 
ter can  be  obtained  from  the  Zuni  River,  there  arc  no  ace* 
quias,  the  inhabitants  relying  on  the  rains  to  supply  the 
neeessary  moisture.  There  is  probably  some  peculiarity 
connected  with  the  local  atmospheric  currents  here  which 
collects  the  moisture,  or  causes  its  separation  and  fall. — 
The  evidences  of  a  former  quite  numerous  population,, 
which  have  served  to  render  this  classic  ground,  when  we 
consider  the  fact  that  they  are  unaccompanied  by  the-re- 
saains  of  aqueducts ,.  would  indicate  that  formerly  tko 


—105— 

amouut  of  rain  was  sufficient  for  agricultural  purposes. 

The  Rio  Mimbres  runs  through  a  beautiful  valley  of 
moderate  width  and  fertile  soil,  where  all  the  productions 
of  the  Central  States  can  be  raised,  and  where  even  those 
things  which  belong  to  a  more  southern  climate  can  be 
grown  without  difficulty. 

The  Ri<>  Gila,  near  where  it  leaves  the  Territory,  hns- 
some  good  bottom  lands,  but  farther  north,  towards  the1 
Sierra  Santa  Rita  ,  is  pebbty  and  inferior.  In  regard  to 

the  valleys  along  its  head-waters  I  know  nothing." 

****** 

THE  CANADIAN  SECTION. 

[See  pages  211  and  12,  Hayden's  Report.] 
'This  section,  in  a  strictly  systematic  arrangement  would 
be  included  in  the  Arkansas  rh'striet,  to  which  it  really  be- 
long; but  for  convenience,  and  that  the  plan  of  my  re- 
port of  last  year  may  remain  unchanged,  I  describe  it  se- 
parately. It  includes  that  part  of  New  Mexico  lying  be- 
tween  the  Raton  Mountains  on  the  north  and  the  Pecos 
section,  or  "Llano  Estacado"  on  the  south  and  southwest, 
and  contains  about  fourteen  thousand  square  miles.  The 
amount  of  arable  land  in  this  section,  as  heretofore  stated, 
is  estimated  at  about  four  hundred  square  miles  or  nine 
hundred  thousand  acres.  This  estimate  is  made  on  very 
slender  data,  and  therefore  cannot  be  considered  as  very 
reliable,  but  I  am  satisfied  that  it  is  not  too  large,  and  I 
think  it  is  approximately  correct. 

The  Canadian  River,  rising  in  ,the  Raton  Mountains,, 
runs  southeast  for  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles,  to 
Fort  Bascom,  where  it  turns  east,  and  passes  out  of  the 
Territory,  a  pittle  north  of  the  thirty-fifth  parallel — its 
whole  length  within  the  limits  of  the  Territory  being  about 
two  hundred  miles.  Most  of  its  tributaries  of  any  import- 
ance in  an  agricultural  point  of  view  flow  in  from  the  west, 


—106— 


of  which  the  following  are  the  principal  ones :  Vermejo, 
Little  Cimarron,  Ocate,  Rayado,  (a  branch  of  the  Ocate) 
Mora,  Rio  Conchas,  Pajarito  Creek,  and  Tucumcari 
Creek." 


'" Startmg  from  the  crest  of  the  Raton  Mountains  im- 
mediately above  the  source  of  the  Canadian  River,  after 
passing  down  through  a  dense  forest  of  magnificent  fire 
and  pines,  we  enter  a  beautiful  little  valley  covered  over 
with  a  thick  eward  of  luxuriant  grass.  Here  a  consider- 
able amount  is  annually  cut  for  hay  and  taken  to  Trini- 
dad. But  this  valley  soon  terminates,  and  the  little  stream 
and  road  enter  a  rugged  canon  bordered  by  precipitous 
bluffs  of  gray  sandstone,  which  continue  to  the  plains  at 
the  base  of  the  mountain.  Here  a  grand  panoramic  view 
spreads  out  towards  the  south  ;  a  broad,  valley-like  plain 
slopes  southward  as  far  as  the  vision  will  reach.  Scarcely 
a  tree  or  shrub  is  to  be  seen  ;  nli  is  one  emooth,  grassy. 
carpet,  which,  on  the  distant  gentle  slopes,  looks  more 
like  pale,  pea-green  velvet  than  anything  else  to  which  I 
can  compare  it.  Rising  up  from  the  broad  base  are  two 
or  three  huge  basaltic  tables  lifting  their  perfectly  level 
surfaces  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  or  more  into  the  air, 
and  all  clothed  in  the  same  velvety  covering,  but  which 
fails  to  destroy  the  sharp  outline  of  circular  rim.  The 
little  stream,  like  a  silvery  thread,  is  seen  winding  its 
tortuous  course  along  the  gently  descending  plain,  joined 
now  and  then  by  a  slender  rill  flowing  'down  from  the 
mountain  on  the  west,  near  which  are  the  estates  of 
thfe  "consolidated  land  cattle  raising  and  wool  growing 
company,"  see  page  2$  of  this  pamphlet.  It  is  a  mag- 
siificent  pasture  ground  for  sheep  and  Cattle,  where  thou- 
-.sands  might  be  grazed  and  tended  with  but  little  trouble." 


-107— 

MANUFACTORIES. 

"There  is  no  branch  of  industry  that  contributes  more 
to  the  prosperity  of  a  people  than  manufacturing.  Its  ben- 
eficial effects  are  felt  throughout  all  the  ramifications  of 
society  and  fill  a  vacuum  in  the  body  politic  that  nfever 
can  be  filled  in  its  absence.  It  furnishes  the  basis  upon 
which  the  largest  portion  of  the  world's  commerce  ia 
founded.  It  populates  large  districts,  gives  life  to  the 
business  of  cities,  whitens  the  seas  with  the  sails  of  all 
*  nations  and  administers  to  the  comfort  and  convenience  of 
the  world. 

We  in  New  Mexico  depend  entirely  upon  foreign  mar- 
kets for  the  purchase  of  all  the  [manufactured  article  in 
use  among  us.  Iron,  nails,  steel,  leather,  woolen  fabrics, 
everything  indeed,  is  bought  away  from  home  and  trans- 
ported over  the  Plains  when  every  one  of  the  articles 
named  could  be  economically  manufactured  here.  In 
the  present  method  of  furnishing  our  markets  with  these 
supplies  millions  of  dollars  are  drained  from  the  Territory 
which  never  return  and  which  go  into  the  pockets  of 
manufacturers  in  the  States,  The  elements  of  manu- 
facturing success  abound  in  "New  Mexico.  Our  iron  ore 
is  uncommonly  rich,  coal  abundant  and  labor  cheap. 
There  is  not  one  article  into  the  fabrication  of  which  iron 
enters  but  what  could  be  produced  as  cheaply  in  our  Ter- 
ritory as  it  can  in  any  other  part  of  the  United  States. 
The  same  may  be  said  of  leather,  of  which  article  there  is 
also  a  large  amount  consumed  annually  by  nur  people. 
Our  forests  abound  with  timber  which  yields  a  bark  -of 
the  best  quality  for  tanning  purposes.  Thousands  of  hides 
are  yearly  thrown  away  as  worthless.  With  these  induce- 
ments before  them  it  is  strange  to  say  that  the  people 
have  neglected  this  branch  of  business  entirely  and  have 
depended  OB  the  States  to  get  leather  for  the  most  ordin- 


—108— 

ary  uses.  The  wool  which  our  elieep  would  give  for  the 
manufacture  of  cloth  is  almost  inexhaustable  in  quantity 
and  could  be  bought  for  a  moderate  price. 

Capital  applied  to  either  or  all  of  these  branches  ot 
manufacturing  could  not  but  produce  large  incomes  to  the 
capitalist  and  at  the  same  time  give  an  impetus  to  the  ma- 
terial progress  of  the  Territory  that  would  be  astonishing. 
— I  am  fully  persuaded  that  the  absence  of  establishments 
of  the  kind  mentioned  is  not  attributable  to  a  want  of 
enterprise  on  the  part  of  our  people.  In  this  respect  they 
do  not  differ  materially  from  the  inhabitants  of  other  por- 
tions of  the  country.  But  for  reasons  already  mentioned, 
their  pecuniary  resources  have  been  crippled  to  such  a, 
degree  tliat  only  small  amounts  of  funds  have  been  accu- 
mulated-by  individuals  in  various  districts  of  the  Terri- 
tory^ and  it  has  not  been  possible  to  aggregate  them  in 
quantities  sufficiently  laxge  to  meet  expenses  which  must 
necessarily  be  incurred  to  put  costly  machinery  in  motion., 

Our  wool  was  disposed  of  here  a  few  years  ago  to  my 
knowledge  at  from  nothing  up  to  10  cents  a  fleece,  the 
owners  of  the  animals  being  glad  to  get  the  wool  from* 
the  sheep's  back  without  trouble  to  themselves  ;  this  wool, 
was  transported  across  the  plains  to  the  States  then* 
manufactured  and  probably  returned  here  in  cloth,  cloth- 
ing and  blankets  to  be  sold  with  all  the  costs  of  transpor- 
tation, profits,  labor  etc.  added. 

Other  illustrations  could  be  given  but  enough  has  been 
said  to  show  that  in  this  Territory  we  need  such  a  system 
of  education  to  develope  the  manufacturing  facilities 
which  we  possess.  Agriculture  is  the  natural  avocation 
of  man,  when  he  was  created  and  placed  in  "the  Garden 
of  delights"  he  was  told  to  cultivate  it,,  and  so  long  as  ho 
did  so,  and  violated  no  law  of  his  Creator  he  was  happy, 
in  his  employment ;  and  if  he  fell  and  the  earth  was  aa~ 


—109— 

cursed  for  his  sake  the  sentenca  was  not  against  the  em- 
ployment, but  rather  an  argument  in  its  favor;  since  in 
consequence  of  the  curse  it  became  indispensably  neces- 
sary to  pursue  it.  Tne  same  feelings,  the  same  nature 
that  before  the  fall  rejoiced  in  the  Pomegranate  and  the 
Date,  that  fed  upon  the  luxury  of  rewarded  labor,  and 
the  rich  fruits  of  happy  industry  were  still  vouchsafed  to 
him,  and  in  the  exercise  of  them,  though  there  were  dif- 
ficulties in  the  way,  thorns  and  briars,  still  there  was 
happiness.  To  satisfy  the  demands  of  our  nature  we 
must  have  farmers  and  mechanics,  and  to  be  happy  in 
the  employment  they  must  be  good  farmers  and  mechan- 
ics. I  know  there  is  a  vulgar  prejudice  against  such 
callings  and  against  labor  in  general,  but  it  is  truly  a 
vulgar  one;  the  noblest  powers  and  the  noblest  men  of 
all  ages  have  given  their  suffrage  in  its  favor.  Kings 
and  Emperors,  Philosophers  and  Warriors,  Senators  and 
Statesmen  all  have  paid  homage  to  its  interests,  and  lent 
their  patronage,  power  and  wisdom  to  push  forward  its 
progress.  We  have  only  to  look  back  upon  the  historr 
of  agriculture  and  mechanic  arts  to  see,  that  they  have 
not  only  been  the  best,  the  wisest  and  most  honorable 
men  that  in  all  ages  have  been  the  prime  movers  in  its 
advancement  but  also  that  it  has  been  a  great  aid  to  al- 
most all. real  civilization  and  substantial- national  improve- 
ment. It  would  seem  to  be  a  work  of  supererogation  to 
diecuss  as  a  controverted  question  the  great  importance 
of  agricultural,  pastoral  and  mechanical  pursuits  to  a 
a  people  like  ours,  and  indeed,  I  do  not  feel  justified  on 
this  occasion  to  enter  into  that  detail  of  facts  and  argu- 
ment which  could  be  arrayed  in  its  favor,  and  which 
would  make  the  balance  sheet  show  in  dollars  and  cents 
the  enormous  net  profits  that  a  judicious  system  of  the 
culture  of  the  soil,  the  establishment  of  manufactories 


—110— 

and  improvement  of  the  sheep,  horses  and  cattiS'of  this 
country  would  annually  pour  into  the  pocketa^of  our 
people  and  of  capitalists  who  would  invest  their  money 
in  this  way. 

TR2SS    ETC., 

The  principal  trees  in  the  deep  valleys  are  the  cotton- 
wood — a  brash  tree — which  will  not  make  lumber,  but  is 
beautiful  shade  tree,  and  answers  most  of  the  requirements 
in  building  and  fencing.  Cattle  eat  the  bark  greedily. 

Willow,  of  which  baskets,  &c.,  are  made  by  the  Jicar- 
illa  Apaches. 

Mezquite,or  screw  lean. — This  in  the  valleys  of  the 
Gila  becomes  a  considerable  tree  ;  the  wood  has  a  fine 
grain,  and  resembles  the  black  walnut.  It  is  very  dura- 
ble wood  makes  an  intense  heat,  more  so  than  any 
with  '<  which  we  are  acquainted.  These  trees 
emit  vast  quantities  of  a  gum  resembling  and  possessing 
similar  qualities  to  the  gum  arable  of  commerce.  The 
Apache  Indians  eat  the  mezquite  bean,  grinding  it  upon 
hand-mills  into  flour,  and  the  bread  is  very  palatable- 
Horses  fatten  on  the  beans.  On  the  table  laad  (mesas) 
is  found  a  peculiar  variety  of  the  mezquite.  .  It  can  hard- 
ly be  called  a  tree-,  it  is  rather  a  stunted,  -almost  leafless 
shrub,  growing  in  the  most  barren  places.  In  summer 
they  are  covered  with  beans. 

This  mezquite  has  the  most  stupendous  roots.  Twelve 
feet  square  will  often  produce  a  cord  of  roots.  They 
are  really  the  fuel-beds  of  thet  district,  and  nature  has 
furnished  in  this  way  thousands  <of  tons  of  fuel  for  the 
smelting  of  minerals.  .The .roots,  both  dead  and  green, 
make  most  excellent  .are-wood — burn  entirely  to  afche*. 
The  climate  being  arid,  they  never  rot  in  the  ground. 
The  dead  roots  are  a  natural  charcoal,  and  instances 
have  occured  where  burning  them  in  a  close  room  haa 
produced  death. 

The  trees  of  the  mountain  valleys  are  ash,  walnut, 
hackberry,  (a  variety  of  cherry,)  and  on  the  mountains 
pine,  oak,  and  pinon. 

B&ir-grass  Plant. — This  plant  is  common  all  over  the 
tablelands.  It  is  very  useful.  In  Mexico  gunny  bags, 


—Ill- 
ropes,  saddlers'  and  shoemakers'  thread  are  made 
the  fiber.  After  the  blockade  ot  the  late  war  the  manu- 
facture of  ropes  of  this  plant  was  commenced  in  Texas, 
Soap-weed,  (Amolc.) — This  is  another  useful  plant,  and 
is  very  common.  The  natives  prefer  it  to  soap  for  wash- 
ing woolen  goods.  It  extracts  all  grease  and  restores 
the  luster  of  the  goods.  The  lather  makes  the  best  . 
ehampoon.  It  is  also  an  antidote  for  certain  poisons.-. 

The  Maguey,  known  as  the  American  aloes,  and  called  > 
by  the    Morthern   Mexicans    mezcal,     is    common  in  all 
portions  of  this  district.     In  Lower   Mexico,    where  this* 
plant  is    cultivated*  they  make  from  it  a  liquor,  called 
•'pulqufc/'.and  in,  the  upper  country  the  Mexicans  make 
from  it  a  brandy    called    "mezcal."     The  Indians  esteem   , 
this  plant  a  great  delicacy  ;   they   cook    the  heart   of   the 
plant. 

Hops  -grow  wild  in  the    mountains,  and    are  of  supe- 
rior quality. 

The  husbandman  has  drawn  wealth  during  the  past 
years  from  the  cultivation  of  our  fertile  vallies  ;  those  en- 
irnged  in  pastoral  pursuits  have  realized  large  profits. — 
But  this  wealth  of  the  soil  and  mountain  pastures,  though 
very  abundant  sinksjinto  insignificance  when  contrasted 
with  that  wealth  which  is  hidden  beneath  it ;  those  vast 
stores  of  minerals  which  underlie  a  greater  portion  of  this 
Territory.  The  most  superficial  investigations  prove  the 
existence  of  gold,,  silver,  copper,  lead,  iron  and  coal  in 
abundance  which  should  elicit  from  Congress  an  appro- 
pi  iation  to  defray  the  expenses  of  a  geological  survey 
of  New  Mexico,  which  would  greatly  aid  in  revealing  th-3 
untold  mineral  wealth  of  this  country,  and  prevent  the 
diamond  and  other  frauds,  and  would  aid  the  many 
citizens  who  are  legitimately  engaged  in  the  Western 
portion  of  New  Mexico  in  the  pursuit  of  gold,  and  givft 
full  credence  to  the  well  authenticated  reports  from  the 
Gila  country  that  a  new  Eldorado  has  been  opened  in 
our  midst  which  must  give  an  impetus  to  every  branch  , 
of  industry  and  make  this  a  great  commercial  thorough- 
fare f-tanding  as  we  do  midway  between  the  Atlantic 
and  Pacific  where  the  wealth  and  commerce  of  bolli  ,. 


—US- 
oceans  shall  pay  tribute  to  our  people,  the  advancement 
of  this  country  is  inevitable,  with  an  industrious  enter- 
prising and  intelligent  population,  who  can  portray  the 
fulness  and  prosperity  of  that  splendid  destiny  which  is 
in  reserve  for  New  Mexico. 

In  considerable  detail  j|Ij|have  given  the  advantages, 
properties  and  resources  possessed  by  this  Territory, 
and  represented  also  the  disadvantages  under 
which  it  labors,  and  have  embraced  the  evils  by  which  the 
development  of  the  resources  of  this  country  is  retarded, 
let  the  manifold  resources,  the  latent  and  patent  wealth 
of  this  country,  admits  of  a  future  as  bright  and  pros- 
perous as  any  equal  portion  of  the  mountain  country  of 
the  United  States.  Encouragement  and  aid  by  Congress 
in  the  construction  of  railways  for  transportation,  ditches 
and  canals  to  irrigate  the  millions  of  unproductive  lands 
will  make  "the  country  blossom  and  bloom  as  the  rose." 
And  while  it  will  furnish  homes  and  subsistence  to  thou- 
sands of  poor  who  are  now  starving  in  our  cities  and 
in  Europe  ;  it  will  bring  revenue  into  the  coffers  of  the 
government,  and  establish  colonies  and  towns  ail  over  those 
now  unoccupied  millions  of  acres  of  unsurveyeJ  and  un- 
improved lands. 

As  year  by  year  the  continent  is  being  spanned  by  the 
iron  band,  cheapening  and  facilitating  our  intercourse  with 
the  world  ;  as  the  savage  tribes  become  educated,  civiliz- 
ed, christianized,  and  merged-  into  our  governmental  or- 
ganizations as  citizens  ;  as  a  superabundance  of  gold  and 
silver  from  our  mountains  and  capital  from  our  commer- 
cial cities  will  be  seeking  investment;  as  the  vast  miner- 
al resources  of  the  great  west  are  becoming  understood  : 
as  emigration  is  ever  flowing  onward  and  westward  in  a 
ceaseless  tide  ;  a?  the  Government  of  the  United  States  is 
ever  able  and  willing  to  extend  a  fortering  protection 
throughout  its  vast  domain,  this  country  will  receive  its 
proportion  of  these  great  benefits,  and  once  investigated 
its  claims  to  a  most  favorable  consideration  will  wield 
their  own  argument. 

.  T*.  Jvr 


